“I like the idea of traveling and being able to create my own postcards,” says artist Nicolas Martin. “Traveling is essential to be able to train my eyes to be surprised. However, I could also stay in a tiny room and still find a thousand subjects to paint.” The Paris native, who now lives in Montreal, Canada, creates soft, subdued paintings that have a sense of undeniable depth to them. Maybe it’s a quiet, dimly lit interior or an empty city street at night.
Casa, oil on panel, 18 x 24"
“Most of my paintings are personal; they often reflect [where] I live and what surrounds me,” he says. “I have also often been inspired by cinema, photography and many [other] sources.” This November, an exhibition at Principle Gallery’s Charleston, South Carolina, location showcases recent works by the oil painter.
“Many of these paintings reflect my travels over the past two years [including] my first visit to Charleston as well as traveling to the South of France to visit my family and discovering new places like Canadiana Village in Canada. It is an old village with incredible houses and recreated interiors from the past,” says Martin.
La Porte Tambour, oil on panel, 16 x 12"
The artist’s palette reflects beautifully dark and moody tones. “Nicolas Martin creates canvases inspired by the mysteriousness of the real world by imbuing them with a sense of subjective emotion,” says Frank Conrad Russen, Principle Gallery director. “His work displays a strong linear quality, and within his limited palette—consisting mostly of earth tones—he achieves a subtly extensive range of color. The mysterious and sentimental eloquence of his works captures with perfect accuracy the scenes of his everyday life, landscapes, and portraits permeated with a nostalgic atmosphere.”
Charleston’s Door, oil on panel, 12 x 9"
Martin adds that his color palette has evolved over time. “There is a color combination that has followed me for years. It is mainly the connection between my yellow and blue. These two colors have a special relationship in my painting,” he says. “The red has been replaced by a very saturated pink over time. It is not always easy to notice, but this color has become essential for me. No matter the subject, there is this same dramatic, nostalgic, enigmatic feeling. I am aware of it, and I cannot paint otherwise. I tried everything, but I always come back to this atmosphere. I think it is also due to the way I create the light. I like strong contrasts, chiaroscuro, but I also like subtlety.” For Martin, it’s about finding the proper balance. “It is sometimes difficult to get out of this desire to paint light because it is often light that guides my choice of subjects. I particularly enjoy painting mundane scenes where light plays an important role, turning the mundane into something interesting enough to paint.”
Meeting Street, oil on panel, 12 x 9"
At each of his exhibitions, Martin always includes paintings of one or more of his family members. “It’s my way of sharing this moment with them and introducing them to collectors. During this exhibition, there will be paintings of my son, my daughter, my sister and my wife,” he says. “I want to paint what is important to me.” —
Principle Gallery 125 Meeting Street • Charleston, SC 29401 • (843) 727-4500 • www.principlegallery.com
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