Martin Amorous’ unflinching black and white lines and drips work together to suggest a vast landscape while incorporating subtle interventions from the artificial world. He explores this post-apocalyptic landscape through large-scale paintings, small works on paper, and short animations.
Amorous retired from Sam Houston State University in 2020 after 25 years of dedication to the growth of the Department of Art. In 1995, Amorous began his career in the Department teaching painting, drawing, and setting up the first animation studio for the department. He became Chair of the Department of Art in 1996 and, eight years later, returned to teaching full-time.
Martin received a BFA in Painting and Art History and an MA in Painting, with a minor in Art History, from the University of New Mexico and an MFA in Painting from the University of Arizona. Amorous currently lives and works in Willis, Texas, with his wife, artist Cynthia Reid.
“I keep working on the painting until I'm satisfied with the illusion both visually and mentally. It has to stimulate me visually and intellectually. At the beginning of the process, the intent is only to end up with an illusion. And everything proceeds from there in real time. The first 'paint spill' suggests the next, and so on. The natural elements in the work are made by gravity and liquid mediums ("untouched by human hands") and the cultural elements are made with masking tape and pinstriping tools. The juxtaposition of organic shapes and geometric shapes is a strategy for creating visual interest. I fall for it all the time. The final piece is a record of all the choices I made along the way.” – Martin Amorous.