Lily Mae Martin (born 1983) is and Australian artist, focusing on the practices of drawing and painting. She is best know for her figurative pen drawings which deal with feminism and sexuality. Often cited as major influences are William Hogarth's scenes of London and Goya's humorous etchings. Her drawing style also lends heavily form early etching techniques. Lily Mae's paintings are often far more flattering to the subject and, with their stark black backgrounds, suggest an aesthetic lent from the dramatic paintings of Caravaggio.
Lily Mae was born and grew up in Melbourne, Victoria and developed artistic tendencies from a young age. In 2003 she was elected to join the National Gallery of Victoria's Young Ambassador Program after hosting her first exhibition. She studied at the Victorian College of the Arts where she obtained a BFA in drawing in 2008. On completion of her degree she was awarded the Lionel Gell travelling scholarship and in 2009 moved to Berlin, and subsequently the UK where she currently resides. To date she has exhibited in Australia, Germany, Britain and the Unites States.
Commonwealth Education Scholarship 2008
Steve Cox Drawing Prize 2008
Lionel Gell Travelling Scholarship 2008
Ignition: NAVA Prize for Professional Practice 2008
Group Exhibitions:
Nine exhibition
With artists from the NGV Young Ambassadors Program
Arts Victoria Foyer
Melbourne, Australia
2005
Chaos and Bunnies: Show with Asha Duggan
45 Downstairs
Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Australia
Jan. - Feb. 2006
Two guys, a girl and a gallery space
Exhibition with Andrew Gallagher and Pierre Lloga
696 Gallery
Melbourne, Australia
Aug. 2008
Victorian College of the Arts Graduation show
Victorian College of the Arts
Melbourne, Australia
Nov. 2008
The forty thieves 2: The Cuban connection
Gorker gallery
Melbourne, Australia
Aug. 2009
The Devil Made Me Do It
WWA Gallery
Culver City, California, USA
Feb. 2010
Out of Nowhere
696 Ink
Melbourne, Australia
Apr. 2010
beinArt Collective Group Exhibition
Copro Gallery
Santa Monica, California, USA
Jun. 2010
Solo Exhibitions:
Things That Scare Me
696 Gallery Melbourne, Australia
May 2007
Mêlée
theARTer gallerie, Berlin
Jul. 2009
