By Julia Martens
Ink on paper
6″ x 8″
$205

Artist Statement:
Two Jazz Players is inspired by the relationship between a crocodile and a plover bird. Crocodiles get food stuck in their teeth which causes them a lot of pain. So, the crocodile doesn’t eat the bird, but the plover can “floss” a crocodile’s teeth and get food for itself. In this illustration, Martens put them working together in a jazz band because jazz requires the team to work with one another, improvising music, to create a beautiful sound.

Artist Bio:
Julia Martens is an illustrator and fine artist based in Western Canada working in illustrations for publishing, film design, and fine art.
She uses traditional mediums, specializing in watercolours, gouache, and inks.
Her work explores the charm of the Golden Age Of Illustration (1880’s-1920’s) and aims to bring it back to us in our current day. She love to tell stories within her works and rarely ever creates a piece that doesn’t have a narrative or contain a character within it.
She is currently working with a Canadian author, C.N. McCabe, to illustrate her book being released in August.
When she’s not creating, you can find her near the ocean, at a concert, or skydiving.

Follow Julia Online:
Instagram: @juliafmartens
Website: juliamartens.ca
Twitter: @juliafmartens
TikTok: @juliafmartens