Eddie Martinez's approach to art-making combines raw physicality with intuitive decision-making in a process that embraces both careful planning and spontaneous execution. Working from his spacious Brooklyn studio, Martinez develops his paintings through a layered, accumulative method that often begins with drawing—a foundational aspect of his practice. He maintains extensive sketchbooks filled with drawings that serve as source material and preparatory studies for his larger works, though the transition from drawing to painting typically involves significant reinvention rather than direct transcription.
Martinez's painting process is notably physical and material-intensive. He builds up dense, tactile surfaces through multiple layers of oil, acrylic, and spray paint, often incorporating collaged elements including paper, canvas scraps, baby wipes used for cleaning brushes, and found objects. This hybrid approach allows him to create works that combine the gestural freedom of abstract expressionism with the deliberate mark-making of drawing. Martinez frequently works on multiple canvases simultaneously, moving between them to maintain freshness and energy in his execution. He embraces a balance between control and chance, often making bold compositional decisions that require scraping down, overpainting, or radically reconfiguring a work in progress.
What distinguishes Martinez's studio practice is his fusion of traditional painting techniques with methods derived from street art and contemporary visual culture. He might use high-end oil paints alongside commercial spray paint and markers, applying paint with both fine brushes and household implements like mops or brooms to achieve varied textures and marks. This democratic approach to materials reflects his interest in bridging high and low cultural references, creating works that feel simultaneously refined and raw.
