Bio

Artist painting on the strand  

“A sense of stillness is found in the art of Martin Campbell which concerns itself with the significance of place and place name. These are magical, timeless paintings with something of the Chagall about them combined with an oriental refinement, a sense of minimal and spontaneous effort, a sureness of eye and hand.”     

Sandra Gibson, Nerve Magazine, Liverpool

 

Martin’s art includes many well known subjects, but his paintings have become especially associated with places less travelled or seen – places that may never have been painted before.  While Ireland’s coastal districts boast some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, it is often the quieter, hidden locations that capture his imagination.  As he outlines himself, this curiosity for the lesser known started early on:

“When I was very young I used to stand on the crossbar of our front gate in Newry to see the green hills that rose to the north.  I stared at the colours and shapes, wondering what that place was called, who might live up there and what things happen in those hills.  I’ve never lost that fascination with the landscape and try to bring it to every piece of work I start.  I hope it comes across.”

In recognition of his work, Martin has been invited to exhibit at institutions such as The Irish Consulate in Edinburgh, BBC Broadcasting House in Belfast and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.  Along with artists Derek Cully and Eamon Colman, he organised ‘Fís 2008’ – a major exhibition of Irish contemporary art which was an official event of Liverpool 2008, European Capital of Culture.

Martin has had one-man shows at The Sean Hollywood Arts Centre in Newry, Cavan Library and The Gerard Dillon Gallery in Belfast amongst other venues.  His art was chosen by Cavan-based Windows Publications to illustrate a collection of Irish and Scots poetry edited by Heather Brett and Noel Monahan.

Over the years, Martin has also produced a number of documentaries on Irish cultural life for TG4 (Ireland’s national Irish language tv station).  These have included a profile of Peter Quinn, the man behind the rebuilding of Croke Park; and a fly-on-the-wall documentary following the Dublin Women’s Gaelic football team, which was longlisted for an Irish Film and Television Award.

For Martin, his art and documentary-making are part of the same thing – as is his life as an Irish language speaker.  One feeds into the other and enriches the work, giving him a greater understanding of each.  And although he lives in Belfast these days, Martin doesn’t see city environments as being necessarily separate from the natural world or countryside either:

“There are lots of green areas and little nature spots in every big town and city – you don’t have to look far.  Whether it’s along the river bank or canal towpath, or the small wood at the top of the hill, there’s natural beauty and wildlife to be found almost anywhere – in fact we often pass it every day without noticing.  My work reflects that.  Although I do like to escape the city to paint or walk, I never have to go too far within it if I want to do a new work.”

In addition to his paintings, Martin has been taking photographs since he received his first camera aged ten.  The photographs on these pages represent the first time he has put his photography in the public domain.  They capture both urban and rural subjects – highlighting the visual drama of both environments while retaining the sense of stillness present in his paintings.

 

 

Artist painting on the strand

“A sense of stillness is found in the art of Martin Campbell which concerns itself with the significance of place and place name. These are magical, timeless paintings with something of the Chagall about them combined with an oriental refinement, a sense of minimal and spontaneous effort, a sureness of eye and hand.”     

Sandra Gibson, Nerve Magazine, Liverpool

 

Martin Campbell’s art includes many well known subjects, but his paintings have become especially associated with places less travelled or seen – places that may never have been painted before.  While Ireland’s coastal districts boast some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, it is often the quieter, hidden locations that capture his imagination.  As he outlines himself, this curiosity for the lesser known started early on:

“When I was very young I used to stand on the crossbar of our front gate in Newry to see the green hills that rose to the north.  I stared at the colours and shapes, wondering what that place was called, who might live up there and what things happen in those hills.  I’ve never lost that fascination with the landscape and try to bring it to every piece of work I start.  I hope it comes across.”

In recognition of his work, Martin has been invited to exhibit at institutions such as The Irish Consulate in Edinburgh, BBC Broadcasting House in Belfast and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.  Along with artists Derek Cully and Eamon Colman, he organised ‘Fís 2008’ – a major exhibition of Irish contemporary art which was an official event of Liverpool 2008, European Capital of Culture.

Martin has had one-man shows at The Sean Hollywood Arts Centre in Newry, Cavan Library and The Gerard Dillon Gallery in Belfast amongst other venues.  His art was chosen by Cavan-based Windows Publications to illustrate a collection of Irish and Scots poetry edited by Heather Brett and Noel Monahan.

Over the years, Martin has also produced a number of documentaries on Irish cultural life for TG4 (Ireland’s national Irish language tv station).  These have included a profile of Peter Quinn, the man behind the rebuilding of Croke Park; and a fly-on-the-wall documentary following the Dublin Women’s Gaelic football team, which was longlisted for an Irish Film and Television Award.

For Martin, his art and documentary-making are part of the same thing – as is his life as an Irish language speaker.  One feeds into the other and enriches the work, giving him a greater understanding of each.  And although he lives in Belfast these days, Martin doesn’t see city environments as being necessarily separate from the natural world or countryside either:

“There are lots of green areas and little nature spots in every big town and city – you don’t have to look far.  Whether it’s along the river bank or canal towpath, or the small wood at the top of the hill, there’s natural beauty and wildlife to be found almost anywhere – in fact we often pass it every day without noticing.  My work reflects that.  Although I do like to escape the city to paint or walk, I never have to go too far within it if I want to do a new work.”

In addition to his paintings, Martin has been taking photographs since he received his first camera aged ten.  The photographs on these pages represent the first time he has put his photography in the public domain.  They capture both urban and rural subjects – highlighting the visual drama of both environments while retaining the stillness present in his paintings.