Martin Stensaas studied figure, portrait and landscape painting under the artist, Earl Jones for three years prior to receiving a four-year merit scholarship to the University of Utah Fine Arts Program. He graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Drawing. Among his instructors were David Amico, Paul Davis, Doug Snow and Tony Smith.

Since then, Martin has had a variety of group and solo painting exhibitions, including a solo show at the Director's Guild of America in Los Angeles, and paintings used in set design for Paramount Pictures. His long-standing interest in the figure and portraiture has led to many commissions, including portraits for the collections of Sir Timothy Heyman and Dr. Luis Guzman III.