Meet Spencer Martin | Designer and Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Spencer Martin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Spencer, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Attempting to pursue what I love no matter what with the hope to contribute more than I take. Prioritizing the art and making sure to never lose the passion that began this in the first place.

I believe risk is necessary for consequential growth. Sometimes you need to venture into the unknown with the same nerve that you’ve held for the familiar. I apply this belief to both my personal and professional intentions. I thrive when my choices are dictated by confidence and approached without hesitation. If there is something desired, a person you’d like to collaborate with, or a wall you’d love to paint – you need to chase that want.

The ability to properly embrace criticism and rejection. Maintaining your composure and persisting despite others’ judgement. Hate and dismissal need to be ignored if it feels unwarranted. If the discourse is constructive, then you can reflect on their input and push forward. Failure is a learning mechanism that I try to benefit from but not dwell on.

Experimentation and exploration are essential to my creative process. A lot of techniques were introduced to me with the stipulation that there is a right and wrong way to do things. I believe good art can sometimes be lost when you’re not following your gut or what feels natural to you. Absorb what you’ve learned but be aware of the motivation behind your decision-making.

For me, pressure is more of a headache than a motivator if it’s unnecessary to begin with. It’s important that I plan for the future and build organizational habits to fulfill my aspirations. A to-do list and an idealized artistic timeline are some motivators I use to maintain my sanity.

Observance: Incredibly important to a profession that relies on visual communication. This career reminds you to pause in the present and embrace the beauty of the world around you. Constantly perceiving the overlap of form in the manufactured and natural world. If you are a vigilant person, then you develop empathy or become a person that disregards the difficulties of those around you.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have always held the need to create. Art has and will always serve as my primary emotional outlet. I understood that this career would also allow me the flexibility and privilege to work with individuals from all facets of life.

Freelance design and illustration was the occupation I strived for. I am continually looking for new avenues to apply my illustrative skills. Shareable scale was the motivation for my current project – SRM TUFT. Bold graphics and artwork turned into fuzzy room companions. Still very much in its infancy, I have been carefully preparing the foundations of the business and its assets for a late 2023 reveal.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First and foremost, a good time for me involves food. Thankfully, the beautiful city of Miami offers endless options in that department. I am a Bird Road boy through and through and a lot of my recommendations will reflect that. Below is a list of some of my most frequently visited food spots.

Frankie’s Pizza
Rio Cristal
Arbetter Hot Dogs
Super Subs
La Placita
Louis Galindo’s Latin American #1
Walls Old Fashioned Ice Cream

The easiest route to my heart is through my stomach. During college, when I temporarily moved away from Miami, I longed for the tastes of back home.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am very thankful to have had an incredible support system throughout my upbringing. Two very loving and compassionate parents that continue to encourage and motivate my ambitions.

My father, Robert Martin, has always been the type of man that I aspire to become, one that puts his family before himself. He is a presence that cannot be ignored due to both his frame and the size of his heart. I will be forever grateful for all he has sacrificed to ensure that I have the best chance at success.

My mother, Vincenza Laudisio, instilled in me the importance of compassion. I like to believe that I have inherited her sensitivity and the care that she has always expressed for others.

My late grandmother, Jule Laudisio, has had an immense effect on not only my career but how I have carried myself as a person. She was a beacon of wisdom that shaped my outlook on the meaning of life. A ballet dancer when she was younger, in her older age she would write and illustrate novels that had never seen the light of day. She emphasized the importance of the arts and those that devote their lives to them.      

Website: spencermartinillustration.com

Instagram: @spencerrmartinn

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-martin-76116420b/

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SpencerMartinArtwork?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1318687901