Chester Martin graduated from the Fine Arts department of the University of Chattanooga and followed a long career in art. Beginning as a commercial artist he soon progressed into painting, winning numerous regional and national awards. Always interested in sculpture, he entered three contests for medallic design, winning all three competitions.(Medallic art is a very demanding and exacting form of relief sculpture.) At just the right moment in his career an opening occurred in the Engraving Division of the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia where he was hired as a medallic designer. As such, he was called upon to sculpture a number of silver dollar commemorative coins in the 1980's and early 90's. He both designed and sculptured the reverse side of the White House Bicentennial silver dollar.
Now retired, Chester Martin continues his life as an active artist at his Tennessee studio. He is recognized in both "Who's Who in American Art" and "Who's Who in America." IBC Publishers at Cambridge, England, list him in their reference book, "2000 Outstanding People of the Twentieth Century." His medallic works appear in the British Museum and Smithsonian. |
