The World of Art with Victoria Chick
Jun 20, 2026 · 31 min · 11 segments
In this episode of Big Blend Radio’s "World of Art" Podcast, artist and art historian Victoria Chick explores the life and legacy of Fletcher Martin (1904–1979)—a self-taught American artist whose…
Victoria ChickGuestBig Blend Radio HostHostBut these murals, you know, you think about he he's very much an illustrator, you know, and how he does things, even his painting works.
It's still that illustration, I want you to see it now kind of thing.
I think
one of the things about him that makes him such a fabulous illustrator, and because of that, a fabulous artist, is that he has experienced almost everything that he draws.
One of the first things he did was go to the Klondike and try to mine for gold.
That must have been an experience just even being there during the wintertime.
I think one of the most wonderful things about Fletcher Martin is that he was His talent, even though he had no art education, his talent could not be denied.
I mean, he was asked to come to various universities and various colleges for years, every year, but because he did not have a degree, he couldn't stay.
He could be a short-term teacher, but they couldn't hire him to be a professor because he didn't have the right degree to qualify for that, which is a shame.
He didn't have to worry about fulfilling requirements that were academic that I doubt if he would have been interested in.
So he loved teaching, but because he had never had teachers, he didn't have role models.
And his view of being with these students wasn't so much that he was going to teach them art, is that he was going to try to influence them to do the most with their talents, because that's what he did.
And so he felt he was there to be inspirational to them and to encourage them.
But these murals, you know, you think about he he's very much an illustrator, you know, and how he does things, even his painting works.
It's still that illustration, I want you to see it now kind of thing.
I think
one of the things about him that makes him such a fabulous illustrator, and because of that, a fabulous artist, is that he has experienced almost everything that he draws.
One of the first things he did was go to the Klondike and try to mine for gold.
That must have been an experience just even being there during the wintertime.
I think one of the most wonderful things about Fletcher Martin is that he was His talent, even though he had no art education, his talent could not be denied.
I mean, he was asked to come to various universities and various colleges for years, every year, but because he did not have a degree, he couldn't stay.
He could be a short-term teacher, but they couldn't hire him to be a professor because he didn't have the right degree to qualify for that, which is a shame.
He didn't have to worry about fulfilling requirements that were academic that I doubt if he would have been interested in.
So he loved teaching, but because he had never had teachers, he didn't have role models.
And his view of being with these students wasn't so much that he was going to teach them art, is that he was going to try to influence them to do the most with their talents, because that's what he did.
And so he felt he was there to be inspirational to them and to encourage them.
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