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Martinez shares welding expertise
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Juan Martinez is now in his sixth year as a welding instructor with the Boise State University Selland College of Applied Technology. Martinez is a metals virtuoso with more than 27 years of industrial welding experience. Also a metals artist, Martinez has spent the last eight years putting his heart and soul into his artistic pieces, two of which hang in the BSU Technical Services Building.
Aside from his artwork, Martinez has two life passions: one is to save local at-risk neighborhood children; the other is to save an industry that might employ them.
A native of east San Diego, Martinez experienced the poverty of the San Diego Hispanic neighborhood as a youth growing up without a father. At 17-years old, Martinez was introduced to the welding trades by some very tough mentors. Martinez continually thinks about these mentors who saved him from the fate of other neighborhood members as they introduced him to the trade that was to have a profound effect on his life.
“The American welding industry is desperately seeking new people. There is a critical shortage of skilled operators and the welding industry seriously needs an infusion of new blood to save it. We are seeing the effects of what I and others in the industry refer to as the nintiendo generation,” Martinez said.
After spending several years as a certified welder in the Portland and Vancouver areas, Martinez moved to the Treasure Valley where he started his career with BSU in the Fall of 2001. Martinez teaches all phases of the welding process including Mig, Tig, stick, plasma and gas welding. He was also the recipient of the American Welding Society Image Award in 2004. He also appeared with Jessie James on the television show “Monster Garage” in the fall of 2004.
In the Treasure Valley Martinez has realized his full potential as a guide and role model for local youth at risk. Since 2003 Martinez has partnered with the Nampa organization Original Gangsters, Basic Academy for Delinquents, also known by it’s acronym as OGsBAD.
His activities include introducing young people to manual trades (such as welding) and the Selland College. Martinez believes his venture with OGsBAD (which also includes introducing art-metal to the youth) is an unqualified success story because troubled lives have been turned around.
Martinez’s art work is mostly based on Mayan cultural, but examples of his work also include depictions of scenery and animals.
He utilizes a multicolored relief style to recreate the stone carvings of the ancient Mezo-American artists.
His work has been shown in a number of local venues in years past, most notably the Idaho Hispanic Cultural Center, where he shared a billing with other noted Latino artists of the Treasure Valley.
But he has temporarily put aside his passion for the arts to concentrate on his passion for the troubled youth whom were never given a chance.
“Martinez has been instrumental in connecting these young people to a world that they never realized they could join,” Steve Terrano of OGsBAD said. Three graduates of OGsBAD are now studying at BSU.
CLAUDIO BEAGARIE
News Writer
