Juan Carlos Martinez is an award-winning artist, art educator, and a specialist in traditional portraiture. He is also well recognized in various genres of figurative art, including landscape and still life, in both painting and drawing media. For nearly two decades, Juan and his work have been featured in various publications and exhibitions around the world, and he has garnered numerous awards and commissions. His work hangs in private and public collections in Canada, the US, and in Europe.

After practicing as a lawyer for a number of years in Saskatchewan and then in Toronto, Juan finally turned his avocation of painting and drawing into a true vocation. In 2001 he completed an intensive course of study under the tutelage of renowned painter and teacher, Michael John Angel, both in Toronto and in Florence, Italy. The training was in what is now commonly known as the classical realist tradition, and he has been working in a contemporary version of that tradition ever since. For two decades Juan was also a senior instructor at Toronto’s Academy of Realist Art (ARA), and, earlier, for the City of Scarborough, also regularly conducting workshops in Toronto and other cities in Canada and the United States.

Today, Juan continues teaching via workshops in Canada and the US, as well as online (i.e., anywhere in the world). He has authored a number of articles for various publications in traditional print as well as online forums and “new” media. In fact, Juan first received a level of global recognition in 2006 when he authored a series of instructional articles published in International Artist Magazine, entitled, “The Academy Way”. His work has since been the subject of numerous articles and features (listed below) in a variety of media. Juan frequently lectures on technical or art historical and other matters relating to representational art and its grand traditions.

Juan has been awarded the ARC Living Master™ designation by the prestigious Art Renewal Center. He continually, and currently, develops his body of work and maintains an influence as a teacher and mentor, and as a commissioned portrait painter.

Please feel free to contact Juan directly regarding available work, commissions, or about instruction, lectures, and workshops.


Awards & Achievements

•2019 ARC Living Master™ - Art Renewal Center (ARC)

•2018 Finalist, Portrait Society of America, Members Only Competition, "Commissioned Portrait" category

• 2018  Finalist Art Renewal Center (ARC) Worldwide Salon Competition, Figure or Portrait Categories

• 2017 Finalist and Placement, Portrait Society of America, Members Only Competition, "Self Portrait" category

• 2016 Finalist Portrait Society of America, Members Only Competition, "Outside The Box" category

• 2016 Finalist Art Renewal Center (ARC) Worldwide Salon Competition, Figure and Portrait Categories

• 2015  Finalist NEXT! Juried Exhibition, Arts & Letters Club, Toronto, ON

• 2013  2nd Place Award, Art Renewal Center (ARC) Worldwide Salon Competition, Drawing Category

• 2013  2010, 2009, 2007 ARC Salon Finalist Art Renewal Center Worldwide Salon Competition, Figure and Drawing Categories

• 2011  Finalist and Award of Exceptional Merit Portrait Society of America, Art of the Portrait Conference, Atlanta, GA

• 2010  Buckhorn Art FestivalPart of “Canadian Masters” exhibit (which included Robert Bateman and Michael Dumas),
Buckhorn Art Festival, Buckhorn, ON 

• 2009  Featured in Season 1 of “Star Portraits” on Bravo! TV.

• 2009  2nd Place Award, Richeson 75 International: Portrait & Figure, Richeson School of Art and Gallery, Kimberly, WI, USA

• 2008  Chosen as Mentor by Cecelia Beaux Forum, Portrait Society of America

• 2008  Presenter and Panelist Portrait Society of Canada International Portrait Arts Festival, Toronto, ON

• 2006  Presenter and Judge Portrait Society of Canada International Portrait Arts Festival, Toronto, ON

• 2006  Certificate of Excellence Portrait Society of America, Art of the Portrait Conference, Dallas TX

• 2004  Best Portfolio Portrait Society of America, Art of the Portrait Conference, Boston MA

• 2004  Merit Certificate Portrait Society of America, Art of the Portrait Conference, Boston MA

• 2004  Invited to ARC “Living Masters” gallery Art Renewal Center (ARC)

• 2004  ARC Salon Honourable Mention Art Renewal Center (ARC) Worldwide Salon Competition; Still Life, www.artrenewal.org

• 2003  Best in Show and Grand Prize Portrait Society of Canada, International Portrait Arts Competition, Toronto, ON


Publications (Appearing in)

• 2016 Featured Artist in 21st Century Figurative Art: The Resurrection of Art by Jan Esmann, (Blue Pearl Publications, Copenhagen)

• 2014 Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, April issue; “Today’s Masters”.

• 2013 Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine Nov./Dec. issue, “ARC Salon winners”

• 2011 American Artist Magazine — Feature article

• 2011 Lawyer’s Weekly — “Portrait of the Artist as an ex-Lawyer”

• 2010 Poets and Artists Magazine— On cover and feature article, October issue.

• 2010 Brushstroke Magazine — On cover of Jun./July issue

• 2007 Brushstroke Magazine — Subject of main feature article in inaugural issue.

• 2007 American Artist Magazine: Drawing

• 2005–2006 International Artist Magazine — Author, 6-part instructional series: “Academy Way” 


Selected Exhibitions

• 2017 LEGACY (Nov. 2017) Curated Exhibition, Gallery 1261, Denver, CO 

• 2015 NEXT! Juried Exhibition, Arts & Letters Club, Toronto, ON 

• 2013 Figurative Art International Juried Exhibition, Figurativas en Red, Barcelona, Spain

• 2010 Buckhorn Art Festival, “Canadian Masters” invitational exhibition, Buckhorn, ON

• 2009 Praxis: Beauty & Truth, Group exhibition, Joseph D. Carrier Gallery, Toronto, ON

• 2008 The Inspired Line, Group show, Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, Hamilton, ON

• 2007 Young Masters, Group show, Andreeva Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, USA

• 2007 Converging Passions, Group show, instructors and faculty, Andreeva Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, USA 

• 2005 Realist Revival, Group show ARA students and faculty, Earl’s Court Gallery, Hamilton, ON

• 2003 Still Classical: Recent Works on Paper from Florentine Academies, Westbeth Arts Center Gallery, NY, ISB Gallery,Rhode Island School of Art,and Design, Providence, RI;Palazzetto Cenci, Rome, Italy; Chiesa dell’Educatorio di Fuligno, Florence, Italy

• 2003 – 2012 ARA Annual Open House, Group show ARA students and faculty, Academy of Realist Art, Toronto, ON

• 2002 RebelAngels.com, Contemporary Realist Painters’ self-portrait exhibition, invitational

• 2001 Canadian Miniatures, Invitational Group Show, Deerhurst Resort, ON

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