Blossoms of Current: Matthew C. Martin

Art & Light Gallery is pleased to announce Blossoms of Current, an exhibition and pop-up of innovative, multidimensional anodized titanium work by guest artist Matthew C. Martin (Anderson, S.C.). Blossoms of Current launches on the Art & Light website and in the gallery at 10am (EST) on Tuesday, July 7 with an opening reception on Friday, July 10 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. A pop-up with the artist featuring Martin’s custom fountain pens, paperweights, and new collection of art is scheduled for Saturday, July 11 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. In Blossoms of Current, Martin’s collection pushes the boundaries of science and contemporary art by utilizing electrical anodizing on titanium, a high-performance industrial metal. While the electrochemical process of creating a colorful oxide layer through controlled electrical currents is typically reserved for advanced aerospace and biomedical manufacturing, Martin has masterfully adapted the technique to create detailed, painterly works of art. By pairing this technical chemical process with traditional hand-engraving, Martin crafts vibrant, luminous floral compositions directly onto titanium plates. Brilliant, shifting hues emerge directly from the metallic surface, while the meticulously hand-engraved textures are visually amplified by the vivid oxide layers. In 2014, Martin first began working with the electrical anodizing process to manufacture custom titanium fountain pens. After mastering the application of basic decorative colorations, he began exploring its aesthetic potential on a larger scale. Following the creation of his first floral work on titanium plate, he received an arts support grant in 2025 from the South Carolina Arts Commission to produce nine 12” x 12” works in anodized titanium. The South Carolina Arts Commission grant project offered Martin a valuable opportunity to research and develop new methods for anodizing.