Artist Statement

When I sketch or draw, my goal is to convey to others something that has caught my attention. This goal is simple, but the process behind it is often complicated by the two approaches I use to creating a sketch or drawing.
One, the default approach, is to labour over a piece until I have produced work that at a basic level satisfies me. I start with a pencil sketch then I correct, redraw, and refine. This process is, for the most part, a painful one but one for which I am highly motivated to see through to its end.
The other approach, one that gives me butterflies, is to dive in knowing I will make—and must accept—mistakes such as an errant pen line. This approach is quicker and the outcome uncertain, but the results can be very rewarding.

Biography

Nova Scotia based artist and illustrator, Robert Martel, believes firmly in allowing his aesthetic and emotional sensibilities guide his work. “Like anyone else I am attracted to things that strike a chord in me. How a gesture, word, or my surroundings make me feel all become subjects to explore in my art.”
Working primarily in graphite and ink, Robert is self-taught and counts several children’s book illustrators as influences. These influences lend a narrative quality to his work, one that hints at the story behind the sketch or drawing. “Whether I'm painting a scene from my imagination or sketching a stranger in a coffee shop there must always be a story behind the lines.”
To view more of Robert’s work please visit: www.martelrobert.com