Sculptor Steven Martinez is rarely working on anything besides art. He talks to RAW about his passion for creating. RSVP to see his work live at the next Hollywood Showcase at Cinespace on Thursday, September 2nd! 

Tell us about yourself and how you first got started making art?  
Ever since I can remember, my skills have been trying to catch up to my imagination. I’m on the verge of turning 23 and I finally feel like my skills have caught up to my imagination, for the most part. I’m a skeptic and realist when it comes to politics, a glass half-full type of person and, at heart, a natural born artist.  

I’ve been making art my whole life but only seriously for about 6 or 7 years now. One of my earliest memories I have involves my discovery of art and the realization that I really love doing it. I’ve always had an itch to create and, realistically, can’t imagine I’ll ever stop.

How would you describe your aesthetic?
I would consider myself very versatile but, naturally I have a very calm and collected sort of style that seems to always come out.

From where do you draw inspiration for your work?
I draw my inspiration from lots of different sources. I would say that surrealism and dream-like content inspire my work heavily. Then there’s everyday life in which the littlest things can jump out at you and inspire a whole collection of work. 

What do you love most about what you do?
I love that it keeps me fresh. Everyday, I wake up and have no idea what might hit me or inspire me to start sculpting or painting or whatever. I’m constantly trying to do things different than what everybody else is doing and that alone keeps my sanity and state of mind in a good, refreshing place. 

Do you engage in, or draw inspiration from, any other forms of art?
Music. If I wasn’t an artist, I’d be a musician without a doubt. I play a little guitar and keyboard. Music is all around me. I have many close friends and family members who play music and it is the fuel that keeps me going in the dead of night.

From start to finish, explain your process; what does a typical art-making day look like for you? 
There are very few times when I’m not actually working on something. I’m always doing something, whether it’s drawing, painting, sculpting, it’s always something. I usually wait till something hits me and once I get that feeling I’m on the go.

Medium of choice?
Super Sculpey. Ever since I found it and started working with it, I was hooked. It’s just so user-friendly and easy to work with that you get to spend more time on sculpting and the conceptual aspects of the piece rather than worrying about your clay drying out or blowing up in the kiln.

What sort of techniques do you most like working with?  
The techniques that I generally use always leave room for random inspiration and/or change. I never like to back myself in a corner with my art, so the way that I approach a project always has to be very loose and free. Give me my music and my favorite “mind relaxer” and I’m in heaven.

Are there any artists or art movements, past or present, that strongly inform and influence your work?  
The surrealist movement is a huge influence because the very thing it represents is what I think the ultimate goal of art should be focused around. I’m also a fan of Kris Kruksi and Liz Lomax. Salvador Dali is my all-time favorite with Frida Kahlo following close behind.

Any previous exhibitions/collaborations that you are particularly proud of? 
This last show that I was apart of was a good one. I ended up selling one of my sculptures for a pretty penny and got featured in a local newspaper. A buddy of mine made a short little clip of the show and it got picked up on a fashion blog and did pretty well. All in all it was a successful show.

Any accomplishments/goals you hope to achieve as an artist in the future?
I would love to have my own gallery one day and also continue to show my work, hopefully around the world.  

Why showcase at RAW? 
I’m down with the idea of a collective bunch of artists coming together to celebrate art, music and creativity.  

Favorite thing to do outside of your craft? 
Other than play music, I try and read as much as I can about the world and how it works and generally philosophizing about things people generally don’t think much about.

Any current rising stars within the art arena that you would recommend we look out for?
Lookout for a dope band coming out of Bakersfield, CA by the name of GSD.