Arriving in Australia at the age of three, Jon C. Marten spent his formative years in the Camden district of New South Wales, an area with which several generations of his mother's family had been associated. He attended the Sydney Church of England Grammar School, studied Law for a short period of time and was commissioned into the Australian Merchant Navy during the second world war.
With an interest in literature and the theatre, Marten was to pursue his lifetime vocation in the arts. In 1935 Angus and Robertson published his first novel, Primavera, which was written under the pseudonym of David Lanark. During the late 1930s, Marten also travelled to Spain where he studied guitar and Spanish dancing. He later taught Spanish dance classes in Sydney, performed in recitals both in Australia and overseas, and appeared in a number of television shows (featuring Spanish dance) that were produced by the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). In 1958 Marten made his final appearance in London, a solo recital held 'under the auspices of Australia House'.
With Cornelius Conyn (q.v.), Marten was a founding member and principal dancer of the Conyn Dance Group. Based in Sydney, this small recital group was to spend a decade touring, with highlights being an appearance at a Royal Command Performance and 'an extensive Far East Tour in 1955, for the Arts Council in Indonesia'. The group also gave lectures for various educational forums such as the Arts Council.
Drawing on the experience of the dance company's Indonesian tour, Marten and Conyn co-wrote a novel, The Bali Ballet Murder (1961). The first in a 'trilogy of travelogue-detective stories'; this was intended to be followed by 'Murder in Tahiti' (source indicates the first and only edition of this work was published in Brussels; untraced) and 'Murder in Malaga' (unfinished).
Before his death in 1966, Marten established the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarships which were intended to assist 'young, talented Australians' to 'pursue their ambitions by allowing ... performers and artists to travel'. The scholarships are awarded annually in singing, instrumental music and painting, and every second year in sculpture, architecture, prose, ballet and acting .
