About

Artist Statement

Martin D Hyde is a contemporary artist based in Wirksworth in the Peak District in the UK. He has an MA with distinction. He paints expressive abstract paintings usually using acrylic on canvas. Through his paintings, he reflects on his life as a person living with depression, those around him and his place in the world.

In his paintings, he represents feelings and emotions. He creates paintings with different levels of abstraction. Some of his paintings may feature abstract figures and landscape whereas in other paintings all narrative is removed and completely abstracted into pure form based on his previous paintings. Like the cyclic nature of his depression, this is a recurring process and the level of abstraction often relates to where he is in the cycle.

The primary themes of his work deal with feelings of isolation, belonging, identity, self-worth, contentment, and love. He attempts to balance some of the sadness and melancholy found in his work with an optimism and hope for the future. His work also deals with the fragility of wellness and the recurring emotional journey to maintain this. Martin describes his life as very much like a waveform, for every high, there is the impending low which can lead to anxiety even when life is good.

“My intention is for my artwork to be multi-layered. I want the viewers understanding of my artwork to evolve over time. I hope the artwork will be enjoyed and that viewers will have some emotional reaction to the work, even if they don’t fully understand it. I believe once an artwork is completed, the meaning of the artwork then becomes the domain of the viewer. It’s important for the viewer to put their own interpretation on the work even if it differs from my original intention.” Martin D Hyde

Through his paintings, he wants to bring a better understanding and acceptance of the issues surrounding depression, and the difficulties for those who love them, based on his own experiences.