Artist Statement
In the middle of the winter I always begin to think of the warmer seasons from the past, this winter I was specifically thinking of the native prairie plants and “weeds” in my backyard. I thought back to their lush greenness and vibrant flowers and desperately wanted a little piece of that back, and so, “Mullein, New England Prairie Aster, and Common Milkweed” was created. I wanted a painting full of color and energy and thought the full leaves and pronounced stalk of a mullein plant bursting from the ground would be perfect. Another aspect I wanted to pay special attention
to was the color I incorporated, I wanted complementing colors of red, green, yellow, and purple. The complementary colors help to enhance the vibrancy of the plant life in the painting and engage viewer’s eyes. This project brought me the warmth of summer in a cold winter season and I hope the finished product can imitate that experience for others.
Biography
Max Martin is a local Peoria area artist who focuses on nature related subjects through an abstract-expressionist lens. They went to Eureka College as an undergraduate student and attended Eastern Illinois University to complete a Masters of Art degree. As an Illinois native, Max is especially interested in local environments and plant life. Max loves to create beautiful and vibrant scenes that are interesting and inviting to the viewer!