Carlos Martinez is a Seattle-based artist. He was born in Los Angeles and raised in Redmond, Washington.

Carlos' surrealist paintings use portraiture, symbolism, and dreamlike imagery to make invisible psychological truths visible. His work captures personal histories and complex emotions, centering on the heavy cost and beauty of human connection, self-reckoning and radical acceptance.

Carlos is currently an artist in residence at Shunpike's Storefronts and Residencies program and is a recipient of the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture's 2026 CityArts Grant. In 2023, Carlos' paintings were showcased in the Tacoma Art Museum's group exhibition, ‘El Noroeste’, celebrating Chicano/Latinx artists in Washington State. His art was featured on the cover of PublicDisplay.Art's 2023 fall/winter issue. Carlos' painting, ‘Saturn's Bouquet’, was acquired by the Seattle Convention Center for their permanent collection, currently on display in the new Summit Building.