Martin Clarke is fascinated by water. A native Australian, he has spent most of that time surfing, swimming, and soaking up his muse: the ocean. Although Martin came to painting late in life, he is driven by a constant strive to make each piece his best. When asked where his inspiration comes from, he talks of the beach on an early summer morning: "how the surf pounds the sandy shores back, how the sun glistens off towering wave faces, and the sea spray catches light, sparkling like diamonds." Based in Mandurah, Western Australia, Martin is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Peel Harvey Estuary, and the Dawesville Cut.