Events

John Martin was born in 1963 in Marks, Mississippi, and now lives and works at the Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, California. Martin's art, which includes drawings, ceramics, and woodwork, blends memories of his family farm in Mississippi with his current urban life in Oakland. His work often features images of trucks, snakes, pocket knives, cell phones, and other items from his collection of found objects. These items have been a significant part of his work since he began at Creative Growth in 1987. Martin's art not only captures the function of these objects but also plays with their practicality, creating extraordinary animal combinations, oversized Leatherman tools, and enigmatic text. In his unique style, fish transform into knives, alligators turn into saws, and John himself is reimagined as a Nokia phone. A multi-tool unfolds to reveal a smiling shark. Martin's clever humor shines through his work, transforming everyday items into a dynamic and illustrative visual language.