JORGE MARTINEZ, artist, visionary, entrepreneur and promoter, died peacefully at his home in Ladue on May 29, 2020, surrounded by his family.

Jorge was born in Kansas City on December 17, 1932, the youngest of the five children of Consuelo Valverde Martinez and Francisco Martinez. The family relocated to St. Louis in 1935.

After a stint as a jockey which ended when he grew past 5‘, Jorge‘s career in art was launched as a young window display trainee at the downtown Stix Baer & Fuller store where he worked as assistant to Ernest Trova, who was the first to recognize his talents. Trova became his mentor and life–long friend. After that, Jorge honed his design skills working with preeminent interior designers Jack and Chuck Brandt, who remembers him as a sponge, soaking up everything he could learn from them.

In the early 1960‘s, because of his love of modern jazz and the lack of a local venue for it, Jorge opened “Jorgie‘s” on Gaslight Square, an entertainment area then flourishing. Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock and Stan Getz are among the many jazz legends who appeared in his club and recorded albums there.. Later in that decade, on a visit to San Francisco, he met Jerry Garcia and Grace Slick who were appearing that night at the Filmore, resulting in his productions of the first St. Louis appearances of The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and many others. Beginning in 1967, and the years after, he produced four Velvet Plastic Balls, counter culture events which spoofed the Veiled Prophet Ball, then a sacrosanct St. Louis tradition.

In the early 1970‘s, the late Leon Strauss and Jerry Berger (not the columnist) appointed Jorge as the Director of Environmental Planning for Operation Breakthrough,

a proto–type housing project that was built on either side of what was then Laclede

Town. His design work of that era won him numerous awards and features in local as

well as national publications.

In 1985 Jorge reintroduced porcelain enamel in a line of art deco designer tables which were introduced at Chicago‘s Neocon Show and in the years following he pioneered the use of polymer resin as an art medium, designing art pieces and tables for the Hilton hotel chain, the Dick Clark restaurants, and for local restaurants like Frazer‘s.

During his last thirty years, Jorge followed his cutting edge interest in new media and new technologies; he created his first LEO (light emitting objex) for the

Contemporary Art Museum auction in 2002; in 2007, he designed a room–sized site specific light sculpture, “Slinky,” for an event sponsored by Alive Magazine, and in 2008, he designed “Reflexiones del Disco II,” a wall–hung sculpture using CD discs, and “Peace Pipe for Obama,” his first use of holographic mylar, an art piece designed specifically to benefit the Contemporary. In 2009, he created several pieces for the Biennial Project competition, including a 6 diameter ball covered with crumpled holographic mylar, and a room–sized installation of 10‘ x 8‘ stainless steel panels and rope lights for the Metropolitan Gallery.

Jorge began working especially with ultraviolet light and had a number of gallery showings of his work at the Schmidt Contemporary Gallery, an installation for Project Windows, and room–sized–installations at the Slein and Metropolitan Galleries. Many examples of his object art are in the collections of prominent St. Louisans.

Jorge remained prolific until his death; during his 88th year, he designed custom mirrors for a rehabbed warehouse–home in Overland and created a UV light energized recreation space for a home in the CWE.

In addition to pursuing his artistic career, Jorge continued to be a promoter, creating benefits for fellow artists and musicians, showcasing well–known stylists like Bob Dorough and supporting local musicians, often incorporating those performance events into his famous birthday parties, the last being his 85th birthday celebration at the Ozark Theater.

Jorge was the adoring father of daughters (with Mary Bell Partney Martinez) Jori Martinez–Woods and Rommie Martinez Rutherford (Dave), his step–children Julia Tenkku (Karl), Liz Issitt (Greg), Geoffrey Sindel (Megan), and Jason Sindel. He was the proud grandfather of Miles Bradley, Phoebe Martinez–Bass, Imani Martinez, Eamonn Woods, Zack Rutherford, and Mariah, Aubrey and Josh Sindel. He was the brother of Frank (Terri), Pila (deceased), Johnny, Henry (deceased) (Rita), and was the loving and devoted companion of Kim Sindel for 25 years.

Jorge was a great friend of many from all walks of life, from the movers and shakers in St. Louis, to his craft collaborators, the service people he saw daily and the old friends from his earliest days. He is deeply missed.

Services: An artist‘s retrospective and celebration will be planned for a time when all can gather to celebrate this beloved man‘s life. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Jazz St. Louis.