Artist Bio
Martin’s studio is a playful space where imagination in pursuit of new possibilities are the primary objective.
Chas Martin’s full time pursuit of fine art began in 2006. But his art path spans 40 years of visual communication. After studies at Pratt Institute in New York City, he spent 10 years as an art director and creative director for Boston and San Francisco ad agencies. At night, he began painting to keep his sanity. Experiences directing still photography and video honed his sense of perception, perspective and emotion. His work has always been concept driven.
In 1980 he pursued painting full time, averaging an oil painting a day for nine months. He transitioned to dimensional work, exploring sculpture, collage and box art. Martin was a member of the Marin Society of Artists and frequently showed his work at several San Francisco area galleries.
Martin moved to Hood River, Oregon in 1981 and applied his talent to carving wood for several years before returning to communications design. A Portland resident since 1998, he returned to fine art full time in 2006. He works daily from his Multnomah Village studio where he mentors artists and offers classes on acrylic painting, watercolor painting, sculpture and creative processes. He is a former instructor at Boston Art Institute, San Francisco Academy of Art College, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Northwest Academy and Sitka Center for Art and Ecology.
Martin is represented by:
JURIED SHOWS:
Collective Visions Gallery, "18th Annual Juried Show" - Bremerton, WA Jan/Feb 2025
Gallery 114, "Undercurrents" - Portland, OR – Jan 2025
Art at the Cave, "Politik" – Vancouver, WA – 2024Art at the Cave, "Shapes that Speak" – Vancouver, WA – 2024Gallery 110, “14th Annual Juried Exhibition” – Seattle, WA – Feb 2024
City Parks “Art on the Street 2024” – City of Lafayette, CO - 2024
Verum Ultimum “Generous Kingdom VIII” – Portland, OR – 2023
Bruce Baughman Gallery “Dia de los Muertos” – Tubac, AZ - 2023
Newport Visual Arts Center “Into the Depths” - Newport, OR – 2023
Tubac Center for the Arts "Proud To Be Seen" - Tubac, AZ – 2023
Art at the Cave, “Clouds Illusions” – Vancouver, WA - 2023
Gallery 114, “What IF?" – Portland, OR - 2023
The Art Center "Around Oregon Annual 2022" – Corvallis, OR – 2022
Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts “REemergence” – Lake Oswego, OR – 2022
Tubac Center for the Arts "Proud To Be Seen" - Tubac, AZ – 2022
Manifold Global Gallery "Negative Space" - Lehigh, PA – 2022
Tubac Center of the Arts "Unknown Nature of Being" – Tubac, AZ - 2022
Columbia Center for the Arts “Fever Dream” – Hood River, OR - 2021
The Cave “All Sides” – Vancouver, WA – 2021
San Fernando Valley Art & Culture Center "HxWxD" – Encino, CA – 2021
Tubac Center for the Arts “Starry Night” – Tubac, AZ – 2021
Columbia Center for the Arts "Art a Day" – Hood River, OR– 2021
Art at the Cave “Prism” - Vancouver, WA – 2021
Art at the Cave “Politiks: Art of Deception” – Vancouver, WA – 2020
Art at the Cave “Art of the Quarantine” – Vancouver, WA - 2020
Gallery 114 - "Winter in America" – Portland, OR - 2019
Verum Ultimum “Chasing Ghosts III” – Portland, OR - 2018
Sacrosanct Gallery “Submerged” – East Hampton, CT - 2018
Gallery 114 “Everything We Do Is Music” – Portland, OR – 2018
Sacrosanct Gallery “The Grotto”– East Hampton, CT – 2018
Verum Ultimum “Living Mark III” – Portland, OR - 2018
The Cave “Alchemy 3D” – Vancouver, WA– 2018
Sacrosanct Gallery “Votive” Show – East Hampton, CT - 2018
Verum Ultimum Gallery “Abstract Sanctuary” – Portland, OR – 2018
Portland Open Studios, Portland, OR – 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Eggers Gallery “Forest Show” – Renton, WA – 2017
Verum Ultimum Gallery “Chasing Ghosts II” – Portland, OR – 2017
Newport Center for the Arts “Variety of Visions” – Newport, OR - 2017
Columbia Center for the Arts “Day of the Dead” – Hood River, OR - 2016
Portland’5 “Fire on the Water Dragon Boat Show” – Portland, OR – 2016
Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts “Artist’s Vision” – Lake Oswego, OR – 2015
Coos Art Museum “Expressions West 2015” - Coos Bay, OR – 2015
Columbia Center for the Arts “Rain” – Hood River, OR - 2015
Gresham Art Committee “Annual Show” – 2015
Portland City Hall “Nature in the City” – Portland, OR - 2014
Maryhill Museum “Wine Label Art” – Goldendale, WA - 1987
Marylhurst Art Gym, Lake Oswego, OR - 1985
Columbia Art Gallery “Art of Fishing” Hood River, OR - 1984
Marin Society of Artists, Larkspur, CA - 1979-1981
Guilty Bystander Gallery, San Anselmo, CA – 1979-80
SOLO SHOWS:
Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR - June 2023
Art at the Cave, “Notes for Travelers” with Don Gray – Vancouver, WA - Sept 2023
Art at the Cave, “Mirrors” – Vancouver, WA - 2018
Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR - 2017
Cathedral Ridge Winery, “Vine Art” – Hood River, OR – 2016
Multnomah Art Center “Playful Spirits ~ Vibrant Visions” Portland, OR – 2018
GROUP SHOWS AND INVITATIONALS:
George Fox University Lindgren Gallery "Storyteller" with Elena Markova, Newberg, OR - 2025
Gallery 114 "Bloom" with Dianne Jean Erickson, Portland, OR - 2024
Robin Becic Gallery, Portland, OR - 2023
ArtReach Gallery, Portland, OR – 2021
Gallery House Pratt Institute "Alumni Show" Brooklyn, NY – 2016, 2017
Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts Open Show – Lake Oswego, OR - 2015
Columbia Art Gallery, Hood River, OR - 1979-1986
Blue Sky Gallery, Ashland, OR - 1981
COMMISSIONS:
Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theater, Blue Lake, CA 2022
Aasen Teater, Jerslev, Denmark 2022
Stephen and Rebecca Galvan, Beaverton, OR 2021
Damian Lillard/Brian Sanders, Newberg, OR 2020
Erin Yanicek, Pittsburg, PA 2019
Bang & Olufsen, Portland 2017
The Goldsmith Building, Portland 2017
AWARDS:
Merit Award, Tubac Center for the Arts, "Proud To Be Seen" -Tubac, AZ - 2023
Award of Excellence, Tubac Center for the Arts, "Proud To Be Seen" - Tubac, AZ – 2022
Honorable Mention, Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, “REemergence” – Lake Oswedo, OR – 2022
ARTICLES
Meet Chas Martin - "Bold Journeys Magazine," 2024
Featured Artist - Interview with Chas Martin - "Artwork Archive," 2023
In the Studio - Interview with Chas Martin – “Subjectiv Journal,” Portland, OR – 2022
Visions of My Former Self “Chaleur Magazine,” Morristown, NJ - 2019
Truths Beyond the Precipice – Sacrosanct Gallery, East Hampton, CT - 2018
RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Instructor, Southwest Washington Watercolor Society, Vancouver, WA 2024
Juror (Sculpture), Vancouver Arts & Music Festival 2023-2024
President, Pacific Northwest Sculptors - 2020 to 2023
Co-Curator, Pacific Northwest Sculptors “Making Space” ArtReach Gallery, Portland, OR - 2019
Curator, Pacific Northwest Sculptors “Mixed Pairs” Multnomah Art Center, Portland, OR - 2019
Juror, “International Sculpture Day” The Cave, Vancouver, WA – 2018
Curator, “The Hero’s Journey” show, Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, OR – 2017
Recipient, Professional Development Grant, Regional Arts & Culture Council – 2016
Contributor, Professional Artist Magazine “Finding Your Creative Zone” – Dec 2015
Former Board Member/President, Portland Bonsai Society, Portland, OR- 2002-2012
Former Board Member/President, Columbia Art Gallery, Hood River, OR – 1982 – 1988
Instructor, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Otis, OR - 2009
Instructor, Northwest Academy, Portland, OR - 1998 – 2000
Instructor, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR - 1996-1997
Instructor, San Francisco Academy of Art College, San Francisco - 1979-1980
Instructor, Boston Art Institute, Boston MA - 1974-1976
Represented by Xanadu Gallery, Scottsdale
Repesented by ToriizakaArt, Sister, Oregon
Studio News
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“Stone of Spiritual Understanding” inspired by Isamu Noguchi
“Correlation” currently at Xanadu Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
“Infinite Dance” in progress
“Mirrors” at Art at the Cave, Vancouver, WA