About

Martin Spencer Lyons (1923 to 1995) was born and raised in New York City. A child prodigy,  he was recognized early on both for his artistic and intellectual talent.

At age 11 he began to learn to paint and draw with gallerist Fred Frazier, and from the age of 14 studied at the Art Students League under Raphael Soyer, Leon Kroll and Robert Brackman. He subsequently became Brackman's protégé, spending the summer of 1939 at Brackman's summer home where he painted some of his earliest canvasses.

In 1940, at the age of 17, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent his adult life in the throes of this debilitating illness.

While able to paint and draw during many periods of his life, due to his illness he was unable to function in normal society. As a result, despite interest in his work from a number of major figures in the art world, Martin remained unknown to the general public.

When Martin died at the age of 72 he left behind a vast body of both oil paintings and sketches. With this website his family is publishing a small excerpt from his work to commemorate the legacy of this highly talented man.