Efrain “NOMAD” Martinez : Painting Visions Between Worlds

Efrain “NOMAD” Martinez doesn’t walk the straight lines of a traditional art career; he never wanted to. Born and raised in New York City, he grew up sketching superheroes and Disney characters, dreaming of becoming the next great comic book artist or even a modern Walt Disney. Art has been his second nature since childhood, though the world tried, at times, to tell him otherwise.

As a teenager, NOMAD passed the entrance test for an art school he discovered on television, only to be turned away because of his age. The rejection didn’t break him. Instead, it planted a seed of determination that would later flourish into a restless pursuit of creativity.

Defiant Inspiration

Unlike the softly lit origin stories that many artists tell, NOMAD’s fire comes from a rawer place. “I’m not proud to say this, but my main source of inspiration is envy and annoyance,” he admits. Watching what he saw as “lazy” or “uninspired” work being celebrated in museums pushed him harder. If they could be seen, why not me? That question became fuel for a relentless output of paintings brimming with symbolic force and esoteric energy.

His inspirations draw from a vast spectrum, Renaissance masters like Caravaggio, surrealists like Dalí, the mythic works of William Blake, and the bold imagination of Frank Frazetta. Yet NOMAD also taps into graffiti, comic book culture, 70’s horror posters, and the unshakable weight of ancient archeology. These references converge into something unclassifiable. Critics have described his work as “Primitive Funk,” though he laughs at the attempt to pin down a style.

A Style Between Light and Shadow

In NOMAD’s world, paintings are vessels. Some series depict characters embodying emotions he wrestles with personally. Others invoke towering figures like Saint Christopher or resurrect forgotten folklore, such as his recent works inspired by Colombian mythology. Always, his canvases pulse with a dark vibrancy, dystopian hues colliding with radiant colors, astral visions refracted through earthly struggle.

To view a NOMAD piece is to step into a threshold: one foot rooted in the grit of the city, the other in the dreamscape of another realm. The work doesn’t merely ask to be seen, it demands to be felt, even wrestled with.

Breaking Through the Noise

Emerging artists often struggle to carve space in a crowded market, but NOMAD embraces that battle head-on. He has knocked on doors, reached out to galleries, and sometimes been ignored—but every dismissal only sharpened his resolve. His persistence is now paying off: with each exhibition, his network grows, and his voice gains clarity. What sets him apart is not a polished academic résumé but an authenticity rooted in defiance. NOMAD isn’t trying to fit into the art world’s mold; he is reshaping it in his own image.

The Astral Messenger

There is a mystical undertone to NOMAD’s journey. He doesn’t simply create for aesthetic beauty; he seeks to deliver visions, fragments of stories, and symbolic warnings from beyond. His biography describes him as a “visitor from the astral plane,” and indeed, his canvases often feel like transmissions. In a cultural moment where art is often commodified or reduced to surface appeal, NOMAD insists on bringing back the spiritual weight of imagery. His works don’t whisper, they confront, reminding viewers that art can still hold mystery, danger, and revelation.

Building Momentum

In just the past few years, NOMAD has begun making his mark on the gallery circuit. His work has been featured in ArtExpo at the Pier with Perseus Gallery, Milan’s Divulgarti, and New York spaces like Van Der Plas and HolyArt Gallery. He has live-painted with UPMAG at Sourmouse, each event an opportunity to make his visions public and physical.

And yet, this is only the beginning. “Right now, I’m working toward creating enough work for a solo show,” he says. Beyond that, he has his eyes on international opportunities, determined to discover who his true audience is and how to reach them. “If you didn’t know about me,” he warns with a grin, “you will.”

Following the Vision

For those ready to explore his world, the entry point is direct: his Instagram, @nomadnyc92. There, NOMAD shares works in progress, completed pieces, and the raw energy of his practice.

He may not carry the title of “formally trained,” but that doesn’t matter. NOMAD paints from instinct, compulsion, and vision. His work is less about technical correctness and more about cracking open something unfiltered and eternal. In his words, “I will make sure you see my artwork one way or another.”