Meet Josh Martin
We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh Martin and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Josh, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Nothing makes me happier than working on my art.
For one, it’s super relaxing, almost therapeutic. Every time I sit down to work, I’m able to zone out to the music and get lost in the details of the piece I’m working on.
It’s also incredibly gratifying. Whenever I pull back from having my head buried in the minutiae (and any frustration that might bubble up therein), I’m able to enjoy the big picture, quite literally. Sometimes, I’ll spend way too long just staring at the piece—which brings big smiles to my face, but can also infringe on my sleep if I’m working before bed!
Above all, it’s self-actualizing. With each session, I know that not only is the piece at hand going to improve, but so, too, are my own skills.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My journey through art has been just that—a JOURNEY.
I took semi-private art lessons with the great Linda Wehrli for much of my pre-adolescent childhood. She taught me how to use all kinds of media, including pastel. It was in her classes that I made the first artworks that I ever sold: both white-on-black silhouettes of musicians. I made and sold both of them around the age of 10, for $50 apiece.
I stopped going to Linda’s classes at the age of 13. I was “too busy” studying for my Bar Mitzvah, and I figured I could just make art at home when I felt like it, so why bother going to a studio?
That didn’t happen. Most of my art through my teenage years consisted of doodles on my notes in class. I did one painting for a studio art class that turned out really well, but never properly followed up on it.
Fast forward to the summer of 2023. I got laid off, which afforded me an opportunity to get back into concert photography in a bigger, more consistent way. I started adding musicians to my archive like I was Ash Ketchum on a Pokemon bender.
During that time, my friend Rita encouraged me to get back into art. I wasn’t sure, though, what my subjects would be or which medium I would use.
Then, it hit me. I had all these great photos of musicians I loved and admired.
My inner child flashed me back to those early pieces that I sold, of musicians cast in white charcoal on black paper. My adult self locked in on a photo of James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem that I had shot and edited shortly after my “funemployment” began.
I was pleased with how the piece turned out—certainly better than I expected! By combining my childhood skill and imagination with the patience and methodical approach of an adult, I was able to create something I was proud of, and that others gravitated towards, too.
Ever since then, I’ve been off and running. I’m quickly approaching 20 completed pieces, with no end in sight!
Now, I’m working on turning this hobby/passion project into a proper side hustle. I’ve set up a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter (search “The Charcoal Club” on there) to help get my illustrations framed, so I can exhibit them properly and publicly.
The goal? To host my own art show/exhibit/pop-up in 2025.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Aside from my friends and family, my favorite things about Los Angeles are the live music scene, the relatively easy access to nature and the food.
Fortunately, those aspects can all work together on a daily schedule.
During this week-long trip, I would take this best friend to as many concerts at as many different venues as possible. If it’s a spring/summer/early fall visit, we would hit the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theatre—two iconic venues. If it’s winter, a show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall would be a vibe. Regardless of season, at least one night at the Hollywood Palladium, The Wiltern and/or the Fonda Theatre would be a must, with The Bellwether and Teragram Ballroom also in the mix.
The days would be spent hiking at Griffith Park, Topanga State Park and along a canyon trail or two in Malibu. Ideally, we would catch sunsets at the beach, from Zuma and Will Rogers on down to Ocean Park Beach in Santa Monica.
As for food…it would be all about picking a street and letting it rip! Sawtelle Blvd for pan-Asian eats and sweet treats, Westlake for Greek goodies at Papa Cristo’s, and at least one visit to a Mariscos Jalisco truck (whichever one is nearest) for a round of deep-friend shrimp tacos.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people deserve shoutouts!
Let’s start with my parents, Debbie and Jay Martin. They spent so much time, effort and money on enrolling me in and taking me to art lessons as a kid. I just wish I’d stuck with art after I stopped going!
Then there’s David Melamed. He’s one of my closest friends from college at UCLA. After college, he got me in the door as a contributor at a music blog called Live For Live Music, which is how I’ve gotten media access to so many great concerts and festivals.
Shoutouts are also due to Brandon Weil and Aaron Massarano. They’re both college buddies, as well. Brandon used to shoot shows that I should cover, and inspired me to start shooting once family life pulled him away. Aaron has encouraged me, as well, and even lent me some of his lenses!
Last but certainly not least, there’s my dear friend Ritabhari Chakraborty. She’s the one who saw my old art from childhood and pushed me to get back to my roots. I can’t thank her enough for that!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecharcoalclub/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-martin-0252a532/
Twitter: https://x.com/thecharcoalclub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562403029423
Image Credits
Josh Martin
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
