Professor Dennis Martinez is an acclaimed Painter, Sculptor, Art Therapist and dedicated educator who has served at Utah Tech for the past 31 years. He joined the Art Department in 1995 and has had a pivotal role in shaping this University’s Fine Arts curriculum, mentoring generations of emerging artists and educators, and expanding the institution’s contemporary art footprint.
Professor Martinez’s studio practice investigates themes of contemporary art, art history, environmental landscape, identity, experimentive sculpture, and current issues through an innovative blending of technique, skill, and use of material. With over three decades of teaching in higher education, Professor Martinez has balanced a rigorous philosophy with a very active exhibition schedule which embodies a vital link between studio practice and academic mentorship.
His education includes an MFA in Creative Arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing and Sculpture where he was recognized as a Wilson Teaching Fellow, an MA in Art and Art History from the University of New Mexico with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing, and a BA in Art & Archaeology from Princeton University with an emphasis in Visual Arts as a recipient of the Mary John Goree Scholarship.
Professor Martinez has works in collections across the U.S. and Western Europe. Most recently, the State of Utah purchased his acrylic painting titled “Contemplation” for the state’s permanent Alice Merrill Horne Collection. He also was awarded a Liquitex Excellence in Art University Award in Acrylic Painting. Prof. Martinez also completed a yearlong sabbatical from his university duties two years ago. The research element of his sabbatical was to explore the benefits of Art Therapy in Higher Education. This was presented in an exhibit in Las Vegas titled “Revelations in Art Therapy.”