Martin earned a master's degree in art history at Western Reserve University and worked several jobs in photography and industrial design, such as making models and delineations for Dalton and Dalton architects.

In 1960, he began 20 years in the Cleveland Museum of Art's education department. He went to Europe about 13 times, photographing buildings and sites for slide shows back home.

Linsey often exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, Butler Art Institute of Youngstown, Cincinnati Art Museum and elsewhere. He won his home museum's May Show. He took photographs for museum publications, Progressive Architecture, Antiques World and more. He made many works collected by the museum, American Red Cross, U.S. Interior Department, Standard Fruit and others.