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Gilbert Martinez
Born and raised in San Antonio Gilbert V. Martinez III aka FOR REAL is a printmaker, illustrator, and graphic designer. His artist moniker “FOR REAL” is an artistic alter ego that explores duality through a fragmented style of digital and handmade techniques. Illustration and printmaking have been an obsession of the artist since 2005 when he first studied offset printmaking and graphic design in high school. While attending college his focus artistically became screen printing and illustration. Gilbert attended The Art Institute of San Antonio where he received his BFA in graphic design. Today his work as a graphic designer has been used for professional national skateboard brands, promotional and branding, and various Texas businesses. His poster designs have even been featured in Forbes Magazine, 2021. As a fine artist, his work has been on display in galleries such as Presa House Gallery, Mexic-Arte Museum, Blk & Gray Gallery, South Town Gallery, and Territory Gallery. If you’ve come across his work chances are you’d recognize it by his illustrative style, bold use of color, and his love for his Hispanic heritage.
MORE ABOUT THIS ARTIST
Artist Style: Visual Art: Illustrative, Portraiture, Representational, Social Commentary
Artist Statement of Work
Tell us about your work (style, approach, philosophy, subject and/or theme):
Gilbert Martinez's style is based on his illustrations combined with various mediums to create prints, paintings, and digital art to express his ideas. His work and style are inspired by his youth, his Hispanic culture, his environment, and his love of skateboard art. The use of bold lines and bright colors in his work is a tribute to the vibrant graffiti art that surrounded his neighborhood as a child. While his style is a hybrid of screen printing and painting he pulls his ideas for his work from his surroundings. The subject of his work tends to be the people he meets and or situations he finds himself in daily. These interactions with his environment create a narrative for his work that is usually light-hearted and nostalgic to its viewers. Martinez's work showcases everyday life presented in a way that evokes joy and a sense of familiarity that is relatable to his audience.
Culturally Specific Art Category
Select Culturally Specific Art Category:: Latino/a Art
