Artist- Marti Lay

Background and Inspiration

With a BA in English literature and an MA in Education, Marti has engaged in the arts throughout her years of teaching. After retirement, on a whim, she picked up a children’s watercolor set and made a goal of painting 20 animals, and life hasn’t been the same. Marti’s love of color and storytelling is evident in her acrylic, watercolor, gouache, and mixed-media paintings. She aims to have the viewer pause, and appreciate the beauty and nuances of the world around us. By combining whimsical, loose marks, and bright colors, she seeks to show the emotion and energy of the subject rather than the reality of it. Her subjects range from childhood memories and funny dreams to collections of animals and natural objects she has encountered while traveling.