“Dead Cowboy’s Bar” by Fletcher Martin. Graphite working drawing for painting — Bristol type paper
FLETCHER MARTIN (1904 – 1979)
Compiled by Victoria Chick
Best known for his commercial illustrations, Fletcher Martin was a self-taught artist whose talent was so universally recognized that, despite no academic degree, he spent a large portion of his life as a visiting or temporary instructor in art schools, colleges, and universities.
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He was born in Palisade, Colorado into a family that moved frequently to small towns throughout the West. As a result, his formal education was erratic. His opportunities for seeing art were limited to movie and circus posters as well as the work of amateur painters.
At the age of twelve, and still in school, he began working in a small printing company. Martin finally dropped out of high school and tried to earn a living in various occupations including lumberjack and professional boxer. While in the larger city of Seattle, he worked for Western Show Print, a company that made large outdoor posters.
Mine Rescue 1939. Mural by Fletcher Martin (WPA)
In 1922 he enlisted in the Navy and, on discharge, settled in Los Angeles, again working for a printing company. It was during this time that he met the Mexican artist David Siqueiros and assisted him with a large mural. This experience was valuable as later he was commissioned to do murals himself for post offices in Idaho, Texas, California, and Washington.
Fletcher Martin must have done a lot of drawing during the years he spent in non-art-related employment, for his skills, particularly in figure drawing, were significant. Also, he seems to have absorbed the best of what he saw from commercial printing work and developed a strong design sense. His first public recognition came in 1935 when he won a prize awarded by the Los Angeles Museum.
Fletcher Martin Mural at the San Pedro Post Office
After this, he began teaching art, first in California and for the next thirty years at art schools, colleges, and universities across the country. Because of his own background, he thought the ability to do art was an inborn gift; but felt his contribution to students was to motivate them to apply their talent.
Fletcher Martin’s work is in The Metropolitan Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, Library of Congress, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, LA Museum of Art, Cranbrook Museum, Denver Museum, and Southwest Regional Museum of Art, among many others.
His favorite subjects seem to be scenes of western life and sporting events.
Victoria Chick is the founder of the Cow Trail Art Studio in southwest New Mexico. She received a B.A. in Art from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and awarded an M.F.A. in Painting from Kent State University in Ohio. Visit her website at www.ArtistVictoriaChick.com and learn more about the Southwest Regional Museum of Art & Art Center.