Art Talk with Michelle Martin
reading time: 4 minutes
[mm] I just try to make calming art to deal with the stresses of life. To me, art should be a reprieve from the world around us, so I try to make art that lets you escape the chaos, even if just for a moment.
We recently had the opportunity to chat with one of our absolute favorite local artists here in Springfield, Michelle Martin!
We’re no strangers to the art world having displayed our own works for the first time nearly a decade ago at Downtown’s own Nonna’s Italian Eatery. That being said we find Michelle’s style of art one of the most satisfying and graceful styles we look forward to seeing across our feeds! We knew we just had to pick this artists brain.
[sgf] Are you originally from the Springfield area
[mm] I grew up in Springfield. I lived on the southwest part of town and graduated from Kickapoo. I moved away for college, then lived in KC for a couple of years before coming back to town.
[sgf] Do you feel that moving out of Springfield helped inspire you as far as your Art?[mm] I 100% think that moving out of Springfield has helped inspire my art. I have a bachelor’s degree in Geology, so I did a lot of traveling with my coursework, which exposed be to so many beautiful places that I use as inspiration for my art.
[sgf] Being back in Springfield, what would you say is the best thing about being a creative here versus elsewhere? On the flip side, any particular challenges to it?[mm] The best thing about being a creative in Springfield is that there aren’t as many artists as there are in some other places, so it’s easier to stand out, but that is also the downside of a smaller city. There aren’t as many opportunities here as you might find in larger, more artistic cities.
[sgf] We are huge fans of your art work, what medium do you use to create this style that has such a grace and sense of elegance to it?
[mm] Thank you! That means so much. The medium I current work with is alcohol ink on yupo paper. I grew up doing a lot of photography and ceramics. I have stuck with painting because it’s something I can easily do from home and I absolutely love it! I found out about alcohol ink for the first time this summer and have been painting with them ever since.
[sgf] Is there anything that specifically helped influence or inspire this style?
[mm] I just try to make calming art to deal with the stresses of life. To me, art should be a reprieve from the world around us, so I try to make art that lets you escape the chaos, even if just for a moment.
[sgf] Well it’s working! We know you currently run your own etsy shop where people can purchase your prints. Do you currently display your work anywhere?
[mm] Yes! I have original pieces on my etsy shop. I also have some of my art available on Society6. As of right now, I have one piece at the Creamery downtown. It is part of the Hearts for the Arts auction going on now through February 1st to support arts education.
[sgf] I know you mentioned a background in geology which really makes alot of sense considering the shapes in your work – is this a source of inspiration in your work?
[mm] Nature is the number one inspiration for me. It’s easy to pull inspiration from nature because everywhere you look, you can find something beautiful.
[sgf] You make a great point in the parallel between not being as many artists here and how that can be both beneficial and hindering. Is there something you think could be done differently to attract more artists or shake up the scene abit?[mm] Oh gosh, a lot would have to happen to totally shake it up. The biggest thing I see that could attract more artists is to just keep being creative if you have that bone in your body. Keep encouraging kids to have fun with art, so they don’t give it up. If more people are putting their work out there and getting involved, Springfield will attract other artists and a natural growth in the arts should follow.
We want to thank Michelle again for taking the time to speak with us and we strongly urge you to check our her stunning work at the links below:
https://Instagram.com/artbymichellemartin
Is there a 417 area local you want us to sit down with? Let us know by shooting us a DM on Instagram or sending us an email!
want more via email?
We respect and appreciate you trusting us with your email, so we won’t pull a facebook or linkedin by constantly bombarding your inbox with crap you don’t care about or selling your information to the government 🙂
