A Utah native, Wilson G. Martin graduated Cum Laude from the University of Utah in 1972 and is a member of the Economic and Geographic Honorary Societies. He attended Oxford Brookes University, where he received a Masters in Town and Country Planning. He served as an officer on active duty in the United States Army until 1976 when he began work in Salt Lake City with the Division of State History/Utah State Historical Society, serving in a number of capacities. He left state government in 1986 to complete a Masters of Philosophy degree in Architecture at the University of York. At York he also established Like Home Properties, a vacation heritage property business. He returned to Utah, with his wife and two sons, in June 1988, and was appointed Program Manager of the Preservation program, supervising more than twenty staff, at the Utah Division of State History. Shortly thereafter he began work in the Heritage Industry Development and Heritage Tourism, producing several partnerships and web published products. Continue to develop partnerships in Heritage Education, History and Historic Preservation. He was appointed Associate Director and State Historic Preservation Officer in January 2003, and Acting director in 2011. 

What have you been reading lately?

I’m reading Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson. I have always been interested in Apple products being the owner of two Ipads, two Ipods and further I used one of the first Macs to run a business in Northern England. I have also had an interest in the architecture of his home near Seattle and the electronic gadgets he had installed there. 

What hangs above your mantel?

A painting by Randall Lake of a village scene in the Netherlands. I have known Randall for years, I traded a Persian Tabriz carpet for this piece. The carpet is still in his studio to this day and I have even caught a glimpse of it in a painting or two by Randall of his studio.

If you could choose one artist (living or dead) to paint or sculpt your portrait who would it be? 

Johannes Vermeer. The style, to me, is both realism and romantic at the same time. When I have visited Europe I have sought out works by Vermeer.

On the Spot

This is our chance to check in with members of Utah’s art community to see what they’ve been reading, seeing, doing.