A Change of Course at Martinez Studio

Sandra and Wence Martinez.

Earlier this year, Sandra and Wence Martinez listed the Jacksonport home of Martinez Studio for sale. The esteemed artists had planned to close their Door County location and focus on their studio in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and in Wence’s hometown of Oaxaca, Mexico. 

But the artists who were named United States Artist Fellows in 2018 have changed course after a season of soul-searching and realization. 

“During the COVID shutdown, we got an opportunity to try a gallery space on Canyon Road in Sante Fe,” Sandra said. “The response to the work in Sante Fe has been off the charts, so now we have two galleries. We thought the adulting thing to do would be to go all in and let go of the Door County space.”

But their longtime appreciators and clients weren’t ready for them to move on after 28 years at the studio that features Wence’s weaving, Sandra’s painting and the furniture of woodworker Michael Doerr. 

“In a month of it being on the market, Wisconsin came out in droves, and new people walked in the door and supported the work,” Sandra said. “We had an amazing season, and it was a head-slapping wakeup that we can’t close. People have pulled us back. It’s not just emotional; we’re making decisions based on what’s best for our gallery and expenses. You support us; we have to stay. If it sucked, I’d be out of here.”

Wence will spend the winter in Oaxaca and return to Door County around Memorial Day to open the studio. Sandra spends most of her year in Sante Fe, which has been a second home for many Door County artists through the years. 

Later this month, a segment about the gallery will be featured on Adelante, a public-television series focused on the heritage of Latino people in Wisconsin. The Spanish-language segment will air on public television in the Milwaukee market but will also be available online at pbs.org/show/adelante. For Wence, English is a second language, and the show will give him a rare opportunity to discuss his work in his native language, allowing for more nuance in explaining his art and his process. 

“The main thing is featuring art of Latinos that have made it to this beautiful country,” Wence said. “It’s honorable to celebrate those Latino artists and do it in their own native language.”