I came across the art of Martin Blink (Marcin’s Arts) on the popular Brilliant Bartering Glasgow page on Facebook. If you don’t know this page, it’s a place where you can swap and trade any items you no longer want, the rule being that it’s not for money. There are thousands of barterers in the Southside, so it’s a good site for local bargains.
Martin lives in Govanhill with his partner and dog, and is a self-professed baker by day, artist by night. His work includes drawings, paintings and prints, but it’s his abstract landscapes that I love. Over the last couple of years, he has posted a clear out of paintings on the barter site at least three times, and on each I’ve been lucky enough to procure a painting for nothing more than some red wine.
They are all framed oil paintings, my favourite being one of the sea, an abstract of gently rippling waves. I love the intense blue colours and the peacefulness of it. My dream is to retire and live by the sea, with the dog I plan to have. When I am there, I will swim every day, but in the meantime, I have this painting on my bathroom wall. I like to lie in the bath and think about the future or imagine looking out of a window to a similar view. Of course, in Scotland it won’t always look that blue, but a woman can dream!
In case you’re wondering, I haven’t tried his cakes – but if they are anything like his paintings, they must be good.
Martin’s work can be found @marcinsarts on Instagram and Facebook