Mary Martin is best known for her mixed media collages with organic deckled edges that incorporate painted tissue papers, rice papers, sheet music and handwritten scriptures. She has recently added origami into her collages. Her work is influence by her love of nature, Japanese art and nearly 40 years of being a church choir singer and cantor, which has imprinted the words of the Psalms on her heart and mind. The words of scripture and sacred music are so deeply rooted in her being that they naturally express themselves in her art. Working with themes of peace and joy expressed through scenes in nature, Martin begins each work of art by choosing a scripture or other sacred writing that matches the theme of the collage. She incorporates the writing into the artwork by inscribing it on the base layer of paper, and by mixing scripture blessed water into her paints. She layers the painted papers, creating tranquil landscapes, seascapes and floral images. Her intent is to create a space with the art where viewers can experience a moment of peace and joy within themselves.
Martin lives and works in St. Louis, MO. She is married, has 2 adult sons, one daughter-in-law and a granddaughter. She owns and operates Green Door art gallery in Webster Groves, MO. In 2019 she was curator of the Who is God? Midwest exhibit held at Gretchen Brigham Gallery in St. Louis, MO, and was named chairperson of the national Who is God? exhibits in 2020.
Statement
Inspired by the beauty of seasonal changes in the landscape and moment to moment variations in the sea and sky, I’m compelled to covey the peace and joy they evoke in me using bright colors and textured papers in my collage artwork. Choosing a scripture that illustrates nature singing praise to God is often the starting point of a collage. The chosen scriptures are handwritten on small strips of paper and placed in water. The blessed water is mixed with acrylic paint and brushed onto tissue papers and rice papers in a manner that texturizes the papers. The collage is built by tearing, layering and adhering the various textured papers and sheet music to watercolor paper in a manner that creates the feelings of movement and rhythm of the peaceful and joyful songs sung by nature.
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