Martin Sherow at the Energy Square Lobby Gallery

Martin Sherow is a local artist and member of the LGBTQ+* community who resides at Energy Square on Cedar Street. MKAD is proud to present 8 of his new paintings at the Energy Square Lobby Gallery for Pride Month 2025.

Formerly from New Paltz New York where he lived for 25 years. Martin is a single father who raised his three children and had little time to paint. He had many conversations with his children about how he used to paint album covers for his friends when he was younger. Doing so meant his friends didn’t have to put their album cover on the wall. They could keep it and protect their albums with it.

After going to work in 1977 for the State of New York at a full-time job working in the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities, Martin ceased his painting practice. Raising his children for more than two decades Martin continued not to paint, telling others “There’s just too many other obligations anymore.”

After having an accident, Martin lost both his feet, not at the same time, but over a period of 2 years. Martin sank into a deep depression. His daughter, Cori, remembered the stories he used to tell her about painting album covers so she went out and bought him a paint set and some canvas in an effort to cheer him up. It worked!

Martin painted the first piece, “Sunset over the Wallkill River”, a spot in New Paltz he used to frequently visit. He painted that piece overnight. Then in the early morning hours he posted a photo of the painting on his Facebook page. That morning when his daughter awoke, he heard her shout “No, f#*king, way!”. Martin smiled from ear to ear and he has been smiling ever since. Cori’s efforts were not only appreciated but her hopes had hit the mark. For the last 4 years Martin has been smiling and painting; mostly on Commission and has painted what you see here today at various points. Some are representative of a dark period, like the first painting. Others have brightened as time went on. He hopes you enjoy his work as much as he enjoyed creating it.

Martin Sherow, father, friend, and artist.