Kathy Martin - September - The Purple Pomegranate

The Purple Pomegranate, a fine craft specialty store, is featuring work by Columbia Falls artist, Kathy Martin during the month of September. Kathy uses watercolors and a variety of mixed media to express her art. The arts and making things have been part of her life for as long as she can remember. From her first blue ribbon for a dress that Kathy made on an old treadle sewing machine at age 8 to her present day work with watercolor and mixed media—she has always experimented in art. Her first experience with watercolor was in the mid 1990s. After trial and error and a couple of community college classes Kathy fell in love with watercolor. Her all-consuming career as a 6^th grade science teacher eventually took over and she put her paints away for a time. Painting, drawing and sculpting remained part of her life during her homeroom class and Kathy looked forward to art day every week. She taught basic art skills and let her students have fun with what they had learned. She developed an interest in mixed media from many of the lessons she presented to her students. A health collapse in 2008 ended her teaching career.  With encouragement from a friend Kathy picked up her brush and paints and began to paint. Painting has been a large part of her healing journey. After months of healing Kathy started to share her love of watercolor by teaching classes. Kathy's wish is that her students find the freedom of watercolor as joyful and healing as she does.

Kathy speaks about her work, "Watercolor allows me to express the joy and peace I find in my Montana home. Using vibrant colors and the freedom of watercolor helps me share my interpretation of my natural surroundings and the hope I find in the ancient and contemporary messages that are scattered throughout the state and continents. I am fascinated by the effect of paint, scratches and layers on a rough rock wall. Mixed Media textures allow me to build an expression of these same ancient and contemporary messages."

Meet Kathy during Whitefish Gallery Night, Thursday, September 6, 2012 from 6-9 PM. Kathy's work will be displayed during the opening and throughout the month of September.