About
A bit about me…I am half Spanish, half Irish and was born and raised in London where I initiated my art career at the Chelsea School of Art. Parsons School of Design in New York was where I graduated in a BA in Communication Design. After graduation I taught at the Dominican Republic and was promptly offered a job at Conde Nast. However due to a series of visa circumstances I was unable to remain in the US and I went to work in Madrid in publishing and advertising for a few years before returning to London continuing work as freelance graphic designer for the mainstream editorial publishers including magazine launches. After a few years I ventured into the field of personal development and performance coaching acquiring a Master NLP certificate and International Coaching Certificate as well as others. I also attended and assisting many workshops from leading trainers. An integral part of my career has been as a facilitator of small group workshops in the fields of communications skills, health and well-being and creativity. Hence my passion for my art was awoken and since over a decade I been a tutor and a creative catalyst for aspiring artists on painting holidays. I also offer one on one creativity coaching.
I have since been able to pursue my passion and live in Cheltenham UK with my husband where I combine art as well as running painting holidays in Turkey, Spain, Greece and the UK.
Artist Statement
Anna is mostly described as an expressionist painter. She derives her influence from the language and vibrancy of the impressionists and abstract expressionists. At times drawn to more abstract compositions with a mute colour palette and at others boldly expressing discordant colour harmonies. She is very influenced by music and as a pianist she says of her work. ‘ My art is a vehicle to transform the world into dazzling colour and rhythm and offers a lens through which the world is viewed as a myriad of colour and instant emotion .” She works unconsciously to allow gestural movements and rhythm to guide her painting. Music and movement fuse to direct the rhythm of her brushwork in a rapid momentum to create and evoke a sense of place in her art. Her colour harmonies like music resonate at a deeper level and carry a momentum regardless of the subject. Her semi abstract paintings provoke an emotional experience rather than carrying a narrative. For Anna art is transformational and with her background of applied psychology Anna uses art as a form of mindfulness which activates new neural pathways both in the painter and the viewer. She also likes to capture movement and convey this energy through subjects such as horses or dancers and conveys the energy of a fleeting moment as though seen through the eyes of the subject.
Employment History
92-94 Designer, Elle Decoration, Madrid
Senior Graphic Designer at Elle Decoration magazine.
96-2002 Graphic Designer with Contract publishers & Magazine Editorials, Redwood, Publicis, London
Freelance senior Graphic Designer creating various new contract publishing editorial concepts and implementing design.
2000- 2006 NLP Academy, London
Assisted and delivered various seminars. I also delivered some one on coaching to individuals.
2002-2006 Development Organisations, Isbourne Foundation, Cheltenham, Fitness First, Madrid. Organisations in health & wellbeing in the Cotswolds.
Assisted and delivered seminars on health and wellbeing, motivation. communication skills and goal setting. I also delivered one on one Performance Coaching for private individuals addressing including fitness, motivation, stress managements and goal setting.
2006-2007 Teacher, Kensington & Chelsea College, London
Part time teaching in the Adult Education sector. I delivered a NOCN Pre-Access Presentation Skills course, LOCN, NLP course for humanities. Adult Ed, Intermediate NLP for Personal Development.
2005-2012 Web Designer, Alternotion Ltd
Developed websites for local SMEs in the Cotwolds and Bristol
2005-2015 Art Tutor with Paint Andalucia, Malaga, Spain
I created and delivered various painting holiday programmes which I facilitated with groups of a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 12. I delivered on average 6-8 holiday a year in Torrox, Nerja and the Grazalema region. I also created a walking and sketching programme during a recce for potential holidays in Cuba and Malaga.
2008-ongoing Art workshops and Art Demonstrations
I am currently offering small group art workshops based in my family hotel in the Mar Menor region of Murcia
2015 -present Art Tutor with Creative Getaways, Kalkan Turkey and Malaga, Spain
Creating and delivering ongoing painting holidays in various media which I facilitate with groups of a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 12 on average four times a year in the Kalkan region, Turkey and the Malaga region, Spain.
2015 -present director of family hotel Hotel Ribera, Murcia, Spain
Ongoing part time role as executor of family hotel in Murcia, Southern Spain.
2019 -present Art Leader with HF Holidays, UK
I am currently an art leader for special interest art UK based holidays. I have to date delivered an Intermediate Pen and Ink holiday and an Introduction to water-based oils. I will be also be running rambles with a sketchbook.
2022 -2023 Art Tutor, Lafkos South Pelion, Greece
I am currently an art tutor in the area of the South Pelion, Greece, with a small holiday provider Lagou Raxi, a Mediterranean centre for Arts and Gardens.
2023 Art Tutor, Murcia, Greece
I deliver and run art holidays in the Mar Menor, Murcia at our family hotel.
Exhibitions
Online exhibition hosted by Galeria Azur featured in Artsy and Artsper online art platfoms, 2022-2023
Urban and Rural Landscapes and the surroundings, Madrid City Centre- 2023
Urban and Rural Landscapes and the surroundings, Torrelodones - 2022
Brian Cosby Fine Art - Cheltenham - 2013
Chelsea Library, London - Joint Exhibition - 2013
Brent Artists Resource, London, - 2010
Brent Artists Resource, London, - 2009
Cultural Centre in Frigiliana, 2011
Spitalfields, London, - 2010
Open studios, Cheltenham - 2010
Hadfield Fine Art, Andoversford - 2009
Gardens Gallery, Cheltenham - 2008
Spitalfields Arts Market - 2008
Mural design of entire interior of a Yemen Middle Eastern Restaurant Liverpool - 2008
Rivers Gallery, Nailsworth,
Isbourne Centre, cheltenham, 2006
Ongoing Exhibitions
Galeria Azur, Artsy, Artsper
https://galeriaazur.art/artist/anne-marie-martin/
Various locations in Spain,
Hotel Ribera, San Javier, Murcia,
Casa Bouganvillea, San Jose, Almeria
Qualification / training
1987-88 Art Foundation Course, Chelsea School of Art, London
1988-89 BA Hons (1st Year) London College of Printing, London
1989-92 BA Hons Communication Design, Parsons School of Design, New York
2001 - 2002 Diploma in Coaching, Newcastle College
2005 -2006 International NLP Coaching Certification, Dr John Grinder, Barcelona
2002- 2005 Level 1 Certificate In adult Education, Kensington & Chelsea College
Training
NLP Master Practitioner and other applied NLP courses, NLP Academy, London, 2000-2005
NLP Certification Series, The Hero’s Journey, Vision into Action, London. 2001-2002
Online Creativity Coaching Course by Eric Maisel, 2004
Abstract Art course, Adult Education, The Brewery Arts Centre, Cirencester, 2005-2006
Summer Art Course, Marcos Amoros, Murcia, 2007
Summer Abstract Art Course, Marco Amoros, 2010
Lansdown Art classes, Lansdown Art studios, Cheltenham, 2000
Summer Abstract Art Workshop, at private studio, London, 2012, 2013
Life drawing classes at various venues such as the Mall Galleries, London, 2016-present
Urban Sketching and meet ups in various cities. 2016-present
Language exchange in Italian and French, present