The work of Kingston-born Oswald Martin demonstrates the complexity and seriousness of an artist on a mission to create remarkable pieces of art. Bold, dynamic, and innovative, his work begins in his mind's eye and comes to life in the form of intricately, hand-carved wooden furniture, stylized steel and concrete exterior accessories, and intense, graphic depictions of modern-day reality.

Martin's no-nonsense approach to his work leaves little to the imagination. What you see is what you get. His work is very strong, unpretentious, and exact in its most intimate details. Take for instance, his award-winning hand-carved mahogany bed. The workmanship is exceptional, especially the laborious detail given to the massive headboard's figure of a spread-winged American eagle. Mahogany, Martin's wood of choice, performs like gold and allows him to create the intricate lines and shapes almost effortlessly.

Growing up in the rural parish of Portland, Martin learned at an early age how to create art from the simplest form. His love for realistic, artistic expression landed him in the Jamaica School of Art, where he studied art as a teen and exhibited his work in the school's Fine Art Exhibition for several years. While in school, Martin received his first commission, a wooden wall plaque. The confidence bestowed by his patron boosted his self-assurance and perpetuated his interest in becoming a professional sculptor.

After several years at a furniture company in Jamaica, Martin began to perfect his craft. He later moved to the United States to study art and graphic design. While in school, Martin again received several commissions, most notably a public arts project with the city of Chicago. As one of 17 artists selected, Martin created two impressive, functional steel and concrete benches that are displayed along a 1.5-mile stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, a well-traveled street on the city's South Side.

Martin's exquisite work has been exhibited at the Home Sweet Home Exhibition presented by curator Neraldo de la Paz and various other galleries. His work has been published in Fine Woodworking Design Box Six (The Taunton Press, 1992), and the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune newspapers. In addition, some of North America's finest residences and businesses house his custom works of art. Martin currently resides in Chicago, Illinois and is working on several projects using exotic woods, steel, and concrete.