Santos Martinez

Santos Martinez is an artist, teacher, and higher education administrator who graduated from Trinity University with a B.A. in Art in 1973. Martinez is listed as a member of Los Pintores de Aztlan in 1972 and is listed as a member of Con Safo in 1972 and 1973. 

During his time at Trinity, Santos Martinez won the 2nd place award for a lithograph print in the Regional National Career Awards Competition sponsored by the National Society of Arts and Letters in 1971. Martinez also exhibited his work in San Antonio and Trinity along with other members of Los Pintores de Aztlan/Con Safo. His work was included in the 1972 edition of The Folder, a literary and arts magazine published by the Trinity University English Department.

Sometime after graduation, Martinez moved to Michigan to pursue an MFA at the University of Michigan. In former Art Department Department Chair Bill Bristow’s archived files Martinez is listed as having obtained a graduate assistantship at the University of Michigan with the Curator of Painting. By 1976, Martinez relocated to Houston, serving as the Curator of Extension Programs and in 1977 as the Chief Curator at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston. During his time as chief curator he curated the renowned exhibition Dale Gas: Chicano Art of Texas (1977) which was one of the first major exhibitions of Chicano art in Texas. 

Martinez is listed in Bill Bristow’s archived files as having returned to Michigan where he was pursuing a PhD in Ethnic American Studies. It is unknown whether he completed this degree. Eventually Martinez relocated to Minnesota and has worked in a variety of positions at the University of Minnesota, Moorhead State University, and Metro State University.