Wonder in the Everyday with Marc Martin March 16 2025

Marc Martin is an artist and author based in Naarm/Melbourne. He works across a range of commercial projects, picture books, private commissions and gallery shows. He has twice been awarded Best Illustrated Picture Book by the New York Times, for We Are Starlings and A River.

Artist statement:

In and Out of Light is a show about light and shadow, and the interplay between them. It’s about paying attention to the world around you - dappled light through a tree, shifting shadows on the pavement, patterns in a skyline - things you might not notice every day, but if you slow down and really look, even the shadow of a utility pole can evoke a sense of wonder.

Marc's show In and Out of Light opens March 21.

Interview by Mel Parker. Images supplied by Marc Martin. 

Hi Marc, and welcome back to Outré! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. In your career you've tackled many different projects, from commercial illustration commissions to books to murals and more! Do you take a different approach when creating for these different projects? How does that differ from creating work for a solo show?

My approach to different projects doesn’t really change - I just try to approach all the projects I work on with a sense of curiosity and discovery; however, I do find that I work best when I’ve got the creative freedom to explore ideas and push the boundaries a bit. Making work for a solo show can be challenging in that way, because there’s no client or brief to fulfill, so I’ve only got myself to hold accountable if things don’t turn out how I want them to!

Describe your perfect creating day - do you have any rituals or routines when it comes to your creative practice?

My perfect creating day would be a day without any emails or interruptions. I don’t really have any rituals apart from the odd cup of tea if I’m feeling creatively jammed.

Take us through your upcoming show - what can we expect to see this time around?

I just wanted to focus on painting things that you’d find in the everyday - dappled light through a tree, long shadows on the pavement, patterns created by a skyline. Things that you might not pay much attention to normally, but if you slow things down and observe the world around you, there’s a wonder found in the everything around.

The show is titled In and Out of Light - can you describe the meaning behind this title? You play with light and shade a lot in this series of works, what drew you to this as a subject matter?

I’ve tried to keep the title straightforward with this show - so it’s a show about light and shadow, and the interplay between them. I love walking around and finding scenes where shadows become exaggerated and light creates interesting compositions. I think I’m just interested in observing ordinary things like a street sign or shadow and finding the beauty in that. 

Your works have a strong sense of place, whether they are street scenes or more natural environments. Do certain places speak to you more than others? What draws you to a particular space?

I’m drawn to places that are often overlooked or go unnoticed. I like focusing in on the ordinary or dilapidated areas - so much of the world that we live in is clean and curated, there’s no room for the unexpected. It’s the spaces off the main road, down an alleyway or forgotten about that I’m interested in highlighting, because the spaces in-between can be just as interesting as the final destination.

Your work also often features an animal or two. Do you have animal companions at home? How do you decide to include a particular animal, can you tell us about your thought process there?

I do have a cat at home, and I grew up with a dog when I was younger. I often have animals in my work because they can act to connect the viewer with a particular place. I’ll often use domesticated animals like cats or dogs because they’re the most common animals that occur in those environments. I also like to think of the animals as a guide or spirit that people can put themselves in the place of.

Were you always creative? What are some of your earliest memories of making art?

I’m not sure if I was a particularly creative as kid, although I did love playing with Lego a lot. I spent countless hours building space ships and other vehicles - that was my main creative outlet. 

What’s something you’d like to try in your practice, or learn more about?

I love experimenting with new mediums and seeing how they combine together. I’d like to try and use crayon and chalk and see how they can be used in combination with watercolour. Generally I’d just look to try and loosen up my drawings a bit and play with more gestural mediums. 

What’s next for you? Anything exciting on the horizon you can share?

I’ve got a few projects on the go as well as a couple of picture books coming out this year that I’m super excited about. Although most people think of picture books as books for children, I try to make books that appeal to adults and kids alike - that way everyone gets to enjoy them.

Thanks so much for chatting to us, Marc! See you at the show!