Julián Martinez Pocano (Coming of the Spirits) was born in San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico, and died in San Ildefonso Pueblo. He is perhaps best known for the designs he painted on his wife Maria's famous pottery. Martinez had no formal art training. He was the father of Tony Martinez (Popovi Da), also a well known Pueblo artist.

In addition to artist, Martinez listed his occupation as "farmer, laborer, janitor, and pottery designer," (Lester, p. 343). He also served as Governor of San Ildefonso Pueblo. According to Snodgrass, Martinez had been painting since 1920 and had gone through several periods of 'realistic' paintings, but some of his more outstanding works were his abstract symbolic and geometric designs ...