Karl Martens

Page 1

KARL MÅRTENS


Karl Mårtens was born in San Francisco in1956, but grew up just outside Stockholm. At the age of 16 he moved to Switzerland and from there to Canada, and eventually back to San Francisco. After 24 years away from Sweden he returned to live there at the age of 40. He has been painting birds for as long as he can remember and his work is held in collections all over the world. The Calligraphy of Flight “In Japanese calligraphy one tries to create harmony between thick and thin brush strokes in the characters, looking for an ‘anchor point’, from which other strokes emanate.The result is a fluidity of shapes reminiscent of shapes in nature. I’m always looking for these in my everyday life and have discovered that a bird's flight describes them beautifully, especially birds of prey and owls. As I watch them fly, their large wings can be seen as broad flat shapes, as well as feather thin lines constantly changing between these states in a fluid motion. Trying to capture these forms in my work turned out to be a good exercise in calligraphy as well as painting. Not all paintings in this show are of flying birds, but just as in a calligraphically brushed text, the fluid motions are enhanced by the sudden appearance of a static character here and there.”

Front cover: ‘Red Kite I’ Watercolour 341/2" x 561/2"

Above: ‘Wren’ Watercolour 22" x 15"


C RICKET F INE A RT Requests the pleasure of your company at the

PRIVATE VIEW of

KARL MÅRTENS ‘ALL OF A FEATHER III’ at 2 Park Walk, London, SW10 0AD Tuesday 13th October 2015 6.00 – 8.00pm The exhibition continues until 24th October 2015. Paintings are for sale on receipt of the catalogue. The exhibition can be viewed at www.cricketfineart.co.uk 2 Park Walk Chelsea London SW10 0AD Tel: 020 7352 2733 Mobile: 07778 568 367 email: info@cricketfineart.co.uk website: www.cricketfineart.co.uk


2

‘Osprey II’ Watercolour 391/2" x 59"


‘Eagle Owl II’ Watercolour 41" x 55"

3


4

‘Osprey I’ Watercolour 391/2" x 59"


‘Northern Harrier’ Watercolour 59" x 391/2"

5


6

‘Short Eared Owl II’ Watercolour 59" x 391/2"


‘Eagle Owl III’ Watercolour 59" x 381/2"

7


8

‘Short Eared Owl I’ Watercolour 391/2" x 59"


‘Barn Owl’ Watercolour 59" x 391/2"

9


10

‘Crane’ Watercolour 38" x 26"


‘Canada Goose’ Watercolour 38" x 26"

11


12

‘Goshawk I’ Watercolour 26" x 37"


‘Goshawk II’ Watercolour 38" x 38"

13


14

‘Red Kite II’ Watercolour 351/2" x 59"


‘White Tailed Eagle’ Watercolour 44" x 63.5"

15


16

‘Peregrine Falcon II’ Watercolour 59" x 391/2"


‘Peregrine Falcon I’ Watercolour 59" x 391/2"

17


18

‘Red Kite III’ Watercolour 59" x 391/2"


‘Red Kite IV’ Watercolour 391/2" x 59"

19


‘Grey Heron’ Watercolour 38" x 26"

‘Pochard, Female’ Watercolour 39" x 39"

‘Pochard, Male’ Watercolour 39" x 39"

20


Karl M책rtens Solo Show at Edsvik Konsthall, Stockholm, January, 2010.


C RICKET F INE A RT

C RICKET F INE A RT 2 Park Walk Chelsea London SW10 0AD Tel: 020 7352 2733 Mobile: 07778 568 367 email: info@cricketfineart.co.uk website: www.cricketfineart.co.uk


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.