Glade, oil and pastel on paper, 2017
Artist Bio
Martha Hill is an abstract artist residing in Kingston, NY, who is inspired by color, mood, and the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley. After earning a BFA, she worked for a decade in non-profit organizations. Martha earned her master’s in teaching in 2001 and was a special education teacher until 2022. During this time, she worked with pastels and charcoal, and beginning in 2011, studied at the Woodstock School of Art. After discovering the joy of working with oil paints, she developed a body of work combining mark-making with palette knife painting. She also creates monotypes and collages. Martha’s work has been shown in numerous Hudson Valley locations including ArtBar Gallery, Emerge Gallery, Gallery 40, Art Society of Kingston, Woodstock Artists Association & Museum, and the Woodstock School of Art.
Artist Statement
Art is essential for me to express what I can only share through a visual language. Intrigued by color and movement, my work begins with memory of a color, an emotion, or mark-making. Working on paper with palette knife, oil paint, pencils, and sandpaper, materials are added and removed. In addition to painting, monotypes and collage offer other pathways of exploration. Each artwork feels like creating choreography or a musical composition as I interact with the space. Working intuitively, references to landscape may emerge or the work may be abstract. Each piece evokes a sense of place yet allows the viewer their personal interpretation. The process is a journey of discovery that brings me joy and fulfillment.