One of Seattle’s most beloved and prolific artists, Martin is a natural storyteller drawn to the unexpected, the surreal, the vaudevillian. In his work, beetles ride ferris wheels, lions walk tight ropes, and astrologers ride rickety carts pulled by fish. Yet Martin’s humor is touched with poignant gravity. In Martin’s invented world, characters are animated, lovable versions of himself, his artistic influences and his cadre of connections.
 
To anyone familiar with James Martin, these pieces illuminate his evolution as an artist. To newcomers, they provide a strange and wondrous introduction to a man whose work and story is integral to the artistic tradition of the Pacific Northwest.