Martin Mensah could not imagine his life without art. "It has fundamentally changed how I see the world," he said. "I no longer observe casually. Light becomes something to analyze; colors and shapes become relationships; and people's expressions become stories. This heightened awareness stays with me everywhere. It has also trained me to tolerate imperfection while working toward improvement—a skill that extends far beyond art. Over time, I have become a problem-solver who thinks visually and creatively, not just logically."
"The title is both literal and optimistic, emphasizing a journey toward light and warmth," he said. "The composition is intentionally balanced, with the sun centered to symbolize the peak of summer and a sense of harmony within the community. I used a bold complementary color scheme, contrasting the warm oranges and yellows of the sky with the cool blues and greens of the forest and water. This creates a vibrant, high-energy atmosphere that reflects the spirit of summer."
Mensah, a Ghana native who teaches art at Veterans Memorial Middle School in Covington, afforded The NEWTON Community Magazine a glimpse into his world by providing the dazzling cover for our Summer 2026 issue. He calls it "The Boardwalk to Brightness." The piece took Mensah roughly 12 hours to complete across three days, from research and sketches to the final acrylic painting.
Mensah's artistic pursuits involve many vehicles. "I work across a range of mediums, with a primary focus on sculpture," he said. "I create clay and carve wood in both relief and in-the-round forms, and I also produce cement sculptures, including 3D portrait pieces. In addition, I explore fabric collage on canvas and acrylic portrait painting. Wood carving remains my favorite medium because of its tactile quality and expressive depth. However, recently I have been working more with acrylic painting due to time constraints and the demands of my teaching role."
