About Martin Cook

I have studied and practiced for many years (my whole life, in fact) in order to learn and perfect the techniques I use for my figures, portraits and semi-abstract landscapes. I am drawn to figures because they appeal to the side of me that enjoys painting in a more representational style, while landscapes allow me to indulge my interest in experimentation, using more impressionistic and semi-abstract techniques. I enjoy experimenting with different media and subjects to constantly push myself towards greater creativity

I am naturally drawn to wild and remote landscapes, and greatly influenced by weather in all its ever-changing glory. The challenge is to try and evoke the feeling and atmosphere of a particular place that I have visited, rather than reproduce its visual aspects exactly. Other times it may simply be a piece of music that kicks off the creative process, the atmosphere of the song creating an image in my head that I then try and reproduce in paint, perhaps amalgamating other experiences and photo references to achieve the desired result.

Whether a figure, portrait or landscape, a painting need not be photorealistic in order to look real - painted in the right way it can possess its own reality, regardless of whether it fully reflects what should or shouldn't be there, and this is what I strive for in my work. I work either in traditional oils or modern, quality acrylics, depending on the result I am trying to achieve. These are applied to carefully prepared MDF panels, canvas panels, or stretched canvases. At all times I am conscious of creating a quality product. My aim is always produce something that will give the purchaser pleasure every single day through the beauty of the subject matter and/or its ability to remind the viewer of a time, person, place or emotion that can go beyond mere memory. So much emotion can be conveyed with the careful choice of subject, shape, colour and tone, and it is the quest to achieve this which drives me forward. 

I have sold extensively over the last fifteen or so years, and my works hang in private collections around the world. My paintings and drawings may seem more expensive compared to some, but I believe this reflects the experience, creativity, care and craft that has gone into bringing them to life. In addition I like to think that I provide a quality customer service, and I am always happy to enter into a dialogue prior to a purchase if you have any questions or preferences. 

Please be assured that once a painting has been purchased, I do not just throw it into the smallest possible box or a padded envelope to minimise postage costs! Instead I take my time to carefully pack each one in robust and secure packaging. 

If you have any queries at all about an existing painting or possible commission, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

PLEASE NOTE: Some of my paintings are supplied unframed. If you would prefer a work to be supplied framed I am happy to do this at additional cost - please message me prior to purchase for a quote. I do this at cost, so the extra you pay is for the price of the frame ONLY, not my time taken to do the framing. I complete the framing to a high standard.