Chronology

Martin Potts Portrait

1952-1970

Martin Sydney Potts was born October 28 in York, England to Eileen Potts (1930-2019) and Sydney Potts (1929), the eldest of three children.
As the first born son of a farmer he worked a lot, helping his parents on the farm and learning about agriculture but he realised early in his life that he wanted to paint.

Jacob Kramer College Leeds.

1970-1976

After finishing school and being encouraged by his teachers to study art, he attended Leeds College of Art (then known as Jacob Kramer College).

Martin Potts Room at Bath Academy of Art in Corsham
69 High Street, Corsham. The house that Martin lived in during his time in Corsham.

Martin gained a place to study Painting at Bath Academy of Art in Corsham, where he met his lifelong friend the artist Angela Eames. He lived at 69 High Street, Corsham.

Whilst a student at Corsham, Martin began to work as assistant to the British painter Richard Smith. His skills as a maker/constructor were highly regarded.

His BA dissertation was focussed on magic numbers which continued to play a significant role in future work.

Martin Potts Works at the slade

Martin attended the Slade School of Art, London, England. Here his painting approach developed as an exploration into physical moveable paintings (screens) typified by coherent areas of minimal colour.

In 1975 he took part in an exhibition curated by Noel Forster at the Balliol College in Oxford, alongside Angela Eames, Tony Bevan, Penny Moore and Tom Lomax.

In 1976, he took part in a Group exhibition in St. Christopher’s Place, London.

Martin Potts Exhibition Rome 1978

1976-1978

He was awarded an Abbey Major Scholarship in Rome in 1976 together with Peter Griffin, Anne Douglas and Michael Holland. Here he took part in several exhibitions at the Accademia Britannica, at the Academia delle Belle Arti in Florence and Rome and at the Galeria Rondanini.

Martin working on Richard Smith's work
Martin working on Richard Smith's work

1978-1988

In 1978 he moved to New York to live and work where he continued to work for Richard Smith whilst pursuing his own practice.

Martin in the New York studio that he shared with Brian Weil in 1980 with one of his early construct paintings.
Martin in the New York studio that he shared with Brian Weil in 1980 with one of his early construct paintings.

In 1978 he setup studio practice, where he worked with palettes retrieved from the streets of New York, making painted constructed works.

Judy Ross, the New York based designer and artist, who founded Judy Ross Textiles.
Judy Ross, the New York based designer and artist, who founded Judy Ross Textiles.

In 1980 he met Judy Ross, a textile designer, with whom he lived for more than ten years. Their reciprocal creativity is documented in some photographs. They shared a passion for Japanese woodcut prints (E.g. Katsushika Hokusai), with their innovative depiction of space through shape and colour.

1988-1992

Solo Show, Paul Klein Gallery, Chicago.
In 1988 he had a one-man exhibition at the Paul Klein Gallery in Chicago. Whilst the show was running the gallery caught fire and the entire body of work was lost.

1989-Fawbush Martin Potts

1989

Solo Show, Fawbush Gallery, New York.

Brian Weil, ‘Man Using a Clean Needle’ Shot whilst working on the Liverpool Needle Exchange Program Liverpool, England, 1988
Brian Weil, ‘Man Using a Clean Needle’ Shot whilst working on the Liverpool Needle Exchange Program Liverpool, England, 1988.

During the late 1980s Martin experienced the deaths of many of his contemporaries, including his gallerist Joe Fawbush. With his close friend, photographer Brian Weil (who founded New York City’s first needle exchange program), he actively supported families suffering from HIV. These encounters led to a new set of artworks, painted on photographic paper.

1990 Vaughan and Vaughan - Martin Potts

Solo Show, Vaughan and Vaughan Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Martin, Janneke and their first child Oscar in Italy.
Martin, Janneke and their first child Oscar in Italy.

1994-1999

In 1994 he married Janneke Bauermeister, a paintings conservator. They had two children, Oscar who was born in 1995 and Mathilde who was born in 1997.

Martin moved to Münster, Germany, to live with his family for two years before returning to paint in New York in 1999.

1998

Solo Show, Unfinished Gallery, Brooklyn, New York.

1999

Solo Show, Galerie Clasing & Etage, Münster.

Photograph of Martin Potts in front of the Glass Bar building in 2002.
Photograph of Martin Potts in front of the Glass Bar building in 2002.

2002

Martin worked on a number of projects including Leeser Architecture’s famous Glass Bar in Chelsea, New York.

More Leeser Bar pictures

2004

Solo Show, Galerie Clasing & Etage, Münster.

Möbius - Rhomboid VII by Martin Potts
Möbius - Rhomboid VII

2000-2010

After witnessing 9/11 in New York City Martin was profoundly shaken. The event characterised his work for the remainder of his working life.

He began to explore the phenomenon of the Möbius strip in a two-dimensional context and as painted form, using fluorescent colour.

Martin doing the Times crossword in Betsy Smith’s backyard. Martin
Martin doing the Times crossword in Betsy Smith’s backyard.

2010-2014

Martin spent his last few weeks in America, in Betsy Smith’s house on Long Island.

Photograph of Martin Potts taken by Brandon Stanton which appeared in his book “Humans of New York” published by St Martin’s Press Books, 2010
Photograph of Martin Potts taken by Brandon Stanton which appeared in his book “Humans of New York” published by St Martin’s Press Books, 2010

Martin Potts died in Germany in July 2014 at the age of 61, leaving a substantial body of work; paintings, constructions and works on paper.

foreground L to R: Richard Smith, Michael Craig-Martin and Janneke Bauermeister
foreground L to R: Richard Smith, Michael Craig-Martin and Janneke Bauermeister

2015

Flowers Cork Street, London, Artist of the Day
As a memorial to his life his final largescale series of works ‘The Adorations’ were put on exhibition at Flowers Gallery, Cork Street, London the following year, 2015.