V. Kim Martinez, MFA, Professor of Painting and Drawing at the University of Utah, since 2001. Her research interests include Painting and Drawing, Encaustic Painting, Community Murals, Foundry, Mosaics, and Video Animation. She received her terminal degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she received the George L. & Ann Roman Siegel Foundation fellowship.

Kim Martinez’ research concerns visual communication that investigates societal structures that shift/fluctuate between the positive and the negative, the concrete and the abstract, based on direct experience with the challenges of specific locations and situations. Her research record includes over 170 curatorial regional, national, and international exhibitions. Regional: Salt Lake City, Ogden, Park City, Ephraim, and Springville. National: New York, Illinois, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Ohio, Florida, Vermont. International: Mexico, China, Colombia, Brazil, Guainía, Occupied Palestine Territory, Chile, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ireland, Rwanda and Uganda.

Artist fellowships/ include The Sara Lee Foundation, Ragsdale, Vermont Studio Center, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC/LACMA), International Iron Casters, Kenyon College, Grand Canyon University, the University of Utah John R. Parks, Salt Lake County Aging Services, JVS Project Space, and 18^th Street Art Center.

Martinez is the recipient of the College of Fine Arts Faculty Excellence Award, the University of Utah’s Tanner Humanities Center “Professors Off-Campus Project,” the “Distinguished Innovation and Impact Award” and has received recognition from The Center for Disabilities.

Martinez’s commitment to university shared governance philosophy is reflected by her past memberships in the University Academic Senate and Executive Committee, Teaching Committee, and Dee Council. She served as the Chair of the Department of Art and Art History 2020-24.

Professor Martinez has served on community board of directors and councils, Utah Arts Festival Board, South Salt Lake Arts Council, Art Access Board, Utah Hispanic Women’s Institute, Utah Cultural Celebrations Center Foundation, Murray City Arts Advisory Board, Artists of Utah Board and gubernatorial appointments to the Department of Corrections Advisory Council, and the Utah Correctional Industries Advisory Council. 

V. Kim Martinez is the recipient of the 2003 Salt Lake City Mayors Visual Artist Award, recognizing her community involvement and contribution to the Utah Department of Corrections Women’s facility, Veterans Administration, First Step House, and Art Positive! In 2019, she was selected as one of the 15 most influential artists in Utah by 15 Bytes Magazine. In 2021 She was a recipient of the Governor’s Mansion Award. In 2024 she received the Utah Distinguished Service Outside the Profession from the Utah Art Education Association and was named a University of Utah Presidential Societal Impact Scholar.