Artist of the Month February 2018

Dave Martsolf

Windham, NH

How and when did you start creating art?

I was always doodling as a child, especially in classes in grade school where it looked like I was
taking copious notes at my desk. At MIT I majored in Architecture as my father and grandfather
were both architects. Later I switched colleges to focus more on visual arts, although to this day
many of my pieces have an architectural feel to them. The training probably helped my ideas of
design layout and organization of spaces in the illusionistic space behind the picture plane.
Actual professional oil painting began in the mid-1970’s.

What media and genres do you work in?

I work in ink, colored pencil, watercolor, and oil, for 2D work and also in wood for 3D sculptures.  The genres range from surrealism to fantasy and abstraction.  The “Adam and Eve” piece that won this award is actually one of my few purely photorealistic pieces.

Who or what are your influences?

The total experience of life plays the largest role in the development of the emotional content that I try to bring to works, as well as the architectural aspect mentioned earlier.  I love music, which becomes apparent in my drawing style.  For persons I would name Raphael, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Vermeer and all the greats moving forward.  In my Fine Arts days at college I was an Art History major.  I love taking in the works of others in many museum tours, always integrating as I go along.  Salvador Dali was an influence in my early years, but no one wants to hang it, so
I am moving on now to watch efforts grow out of my drawing style, which has always been freer and lighter, happier I guess or more playful and loving.

What was your inspiration for Adam and Eve?

The portrait of Adam was especially important in this piece.  To me it represents that moment in life when each of us comes to grip with who we are and our place in the universe.  As I grow older I am less and less sure what makes humans different than all the other animals.  Apart from brain case size there might not be much else, except our overwhelming hubris in thinking we are so special.  But, in any case I meant to portray that moment of self-realization, which I do not think is “sinful” or something God didn’t want us all to achieve.  I think the writers of the Bible were trying to explain why our lives can be so miserable.  At that time it was easy to sort of blame women, so this story really needs to be rewritten.  If anything men should celebrate women who teach us to grow up and behave like good people instead of just selfish individuals.

Describe your creative process?

In the surreal world I have several large canvases that I want to compete before I die regardless of how they might be received by the public.  Those complex compilations of imagery come in flashes that might then be juggled around to create a good architecturally sound construction within the bounds of the pictorial space.  

The more light-hearted drawings are often what I call autonomic, like the Japanese masters who dip their brush in the ink, stare at the whiteness in front of them, reach down somewhere deep inside, and in a flash sweep the hand and arm around the whiteness and BAM, it is completed in a matter of seconds.  In my case I carry it a step further.  I stare at the abstract lines on the page and begin to see them defining a three-dimensional space, often with beings of some kind.  I tend to see life in everything, even rocks, which as an example are to me more like frozen crystallized energy.  Vibrating certainly, but held in place by cosmic rules we call chemistry and physics that were created beyond our field of vision in our mortal plane.  Getting too deep I know, but that’s it for me.

What are you working on currently?

I have a pile of great drawings that need to be colored and I have the large surreal pieces I want to complete or start.  One in process is a 6’ x 4’ detailed image of the Whirlpool galaxy seen from the surface of a nearby planet with other floating nearby inserts that explore the inside/outside concept of surfaces.  Such as what is a black hole when you turn it inside out.   It plays with the concept of infinity, which truly realized means that forever exists in whatever direction you take, including shrinking yourself down smaller and smaller.  Truly, you can hold infinity in a grain of sand.  It is that amazement with the universe which constantly drives me.  That piece will be titled “Topology 101”.

What are your near/long term goals as an artist?

That goal is easy, to live long enough to get some significant work completed.  I took many years off as an artist when I was working through normal family matters where a paying job was necessary to accomplish those goals.  I am reaching a time now where I can devote more time to art.  So, I just need to stay healthy, exercise, watch what I eat, and keep on creating as long as possible.

Where can people view/purchase your work (gallery, website, etc)?

I have just joined the Arts League of Lowell and have some wall space there.  You can Google their web site and also their Facebook page.  Lowell is fast becoming the visual arts place to be in Massachusetts, just a few miles north of Boston.  I also have my own website http://davemartsolf.com , and have works available at Absolute Arts and Fine Arts America, where large prints can be purchased.  My web site has links to all those locations and more such as Etsy, Red Bubble, etc.