Francis
Martin was born in the west of England. As a schoolboy he became
fascinated with picture-making and working with colour. His early
promise was channelled into commercial art, initially in the print
industry; he served an apprenticeship as a Photogravure Retoucher.
After working
abroad for some years he returned to full time education in the UK,
qualifying as a Graphic Designer. He spent some time teaching computer
graphics and as a freelance Graphic Artist, producing designs for a
variety of clients in the U.K. His main interest was in photomontage.
Five years ago Francis
turned his back on the commercial world and has begun to work full time
as an artist, working primarily in oils exploring and developing his
interest in the portrayal of ordinary people and everyday life.