J. Kent Martin (b. 1967) is a Springfield, Missouri–based abstract painter whose work is inspired by aerial views of farmland and the structured patterns of roads and urban streets. His mixed-media paintings translate these landscapes into layered compositions of intersecting forms, textured surfaces, and weathered marks that suggest both physical terrain and human presence.
Working with repurposed materials, Martin builds each piece through a process of accumulation and erosion—applying, scraping, staining, and reworking layers of material to reveal traces of earlier gestures. The resulting surfaces evoke the passage of time and the evolving relationships between land, community, and movement.
Having spent his professional life in the home furnishings industry and now a home furnishings designer, Martin’s work reflects a sensitivity to architecture, materiality, and spatial design. His paintings bridge the worlds of architecture, interior design, and contemporary abstraction.
Martin is also an advocate for social justice and equality, often viewing art as a catalyst for conversation and reflection. His work is held in private collections throughout the North America, Asia, and Europe.
Artist Statement
My work explores the intersection between structure, landscape, and human experience. Inspired by aerial views of farmland and the ordered patterns of roads and city streets, my paintings translate these landscapes into layered abstract compositions. From above, fields, intersections, and neighborhoods reveal the quiet geometry that shapes how we move through the world and connect with one another.
Each painting develops through a process of layering, scraping, erosion, and staining. I work with a variety of materials, allowing them to interact and respond to one another as the surface evolves. Earlier marks remain visible beneath later ones, creating textures that suggest time, memory, and the accumulation of lived experience.
The process is intuitive and often unpredictable. I embrace the element of discovery that occurs as the work unfolds, much like the unexpected turns that shape our lives. Through these layered surfaces and intersecting forms, I aim to reflect both the structure of the landscape and the human stories that exist within it.