Sean Martorana turns every day, familiar items into unique works of conceptual art. He strives to bring energy and emotion to the forefront of his designs and sees the life in everything around him. Sean experiments with bold styles and he hand-paints everything from furniture, to murals, to large scale installations and more. This Creator’s goal is to make a lasting impression through personal pieces, commissions, and collaborations with artists in various creative fields. Hear what he had to say about his inspiration, motivations, and creative process!

Q: What’s unique about your work?

I think my work is unique in the way that it is all connected. Like root systems in a forrest, my work speaks to each other. My style dissects the natural world and reveals the energy that lies beneath. After the dissection there are pieces and elements that can be remixed into new works of art, designs and patterns.

Q: What do you want people to do or feel when they encounter your creations?

I want people to feel power when seeing or using my work for the first time. A surge of energy that sparks an emotion unique to the person that is interacting with the artwork, design or product.

Q: What is your favorite material to work with?

My work tends to transcend material. I see it as a challenge to discover how my work can be applied to and work with any material. It all starts with the traditional paint on canvas or ink on paper. But I’ve worked with 3D printing, knit textiles, digital printing, wood, Corian, precious metal jewelry, digital animation glass and much more. I am continuing to look for the next material my work can embellish.

Q: How do your pieces come to life? Tell us one interesting thing about your process?

My work starts with an emotion or feeling I want to project or infuse into a piece. Once I have gathered the elements and done the research, I usually start off with just pencil and paper. It is then possible I draw the same thing three times leading up to the final piece. From the pencil drawing I may trace that into a fine line ink piece, scan that in and then apply it to the final place whether that be a wall, canvas or other piece of material.

Q: What funny moments, unexpected surprises, or obstacles have you encountered?

I once created an entire spray booth in my apartment using plastic drop cloths hanging tacked to the ceiling with a tube and box fan leading to the window. All of this so I could spray color changing mystic car paint for a large commission. Even though I would have a mask, goggles and coveralls on I would spray a coat of paint and then leave my apartment for a little bit while the dust settled.

I’ll do anything to get the job done right.   

Q: What motivates and inspires you?

I am inspired by the feeling I get when I look at art. The feeling I get when I encounter smart and intelligent design. The feeling I get when I taste something that is in perfect harmony with itself. The feeling I get when I witness the color of a flower, the smell of fresh air, the intensity of a sunset and the imperfections in nature. I want to take those feelings and share them with people in my own way.

Q: What makes a space special?

A space should enhance the human experience. It should inspire creativity and action. A space has the ability to spark appropriate emotions special to a specific place. I create the elements that can help turn a house into a home, a workspace into a high productive zone.