About

Marta Spendowska is a Polish-born (NH Seacoast-based) American artist and illustrator. Since '07 she has worked with a wide range of art collectors, consultants, fashion and beauty brands, and interior designers. Client roaster includes Oprah Magazine, Danielle LaPorte, Better Homes & Gardens, Oreo and many more.

She currently happily resides by the ocean, soaking up its every drop on summers and paints outdoors to breathe the New England landscape onto paper.

Member of: New Hampshire Art Association (NHAA), New England Watercolor Association (NEWS), Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA), National Watercolor Association (NWS), American Watercolor Association (AWS).

Those facts which are not:

Art is everything to me. So is Magick. So is astrology. So are sardines. (Stop making faces. Saw it!)
I'm writing this without my iphone and I'm having all these anxieties.
After living in USA for 10 years I can finally admit — soccer sucks. Except when I can watch those handsome Polish soccer players (and their caaaaalves)
I came to US with $700 in my pocket and an attitude : "Here I come, Hamericaaaa!" (All while remembering that during my USA internship I lived in a tiny room, in a house with a psycho who would run laundry with nothing and blow out the flame while still keeping the stove at ON. )
My most beloved possession — an old 1800 cross from my grandpa & a huge amber from my grandma’s house, all left after Germans escaped.
I live on instagram and facebook. But I REALLY thrive in my Àrtletter — so sign up.
I adore Björk, Sia and Chai. And one-syllabe words. Like Ssssssssocs. (you thought of sex, didn't you?)
I'm ENTJ-T : "Commander" — small talk and having a boss is not my thing.
I read cards and stars. I've had my cards read since I was a kid. Tarot, Lenormand and playing cards, if you're curious.
My personality spans across the "mystic" and the "entertainer". It's ok.
Highlight of 2015/2016/2017/2018/2019—Danielle LaPorte planner with my art on the covers.
I care about women who make stories (Virginia Woolf, Marlene Dumas, Georgia O’Keefe, Bjork) and I have an unhealthy love for women who were melancholic, drove themselves crazy (oh! I meant men did it to them!),or know how to handle world with bravado.
Favorite smell? Church, moss and new books.
I'm not sure if I'm cursed or blessed with precognitive dreams.They are, unfortunately, only death and strange weather patterns related. Why? Only Man upstairs knows...
I travel to Europe at least once a year. Poland is my home, Israel is my beloved future home, maybe.
Before becoming a full time artist, I run a design studio, PolishLab, with a client waitlist of 6-8 months. With a meh-English! And it worked! (Here, you should stop reading, look into the blurry future of yours, and exclaim: "If a Polish feminist with $700 bucks and meh-English made it happen, so can I!" Yep, bud.)
YES: chai, watercolor, Astrology, handstands, cartomancy, travel, glitter, real-crime series.
NOPE: small talk, group exercises, flying until my first drink (terrified), laziness, real-crime series (its' complicated).

ABOUT ART

As an artist, I am at the mercy of beauty and spirituality which I have come to recognize as twin sisters. They are the strongest influences and have become the biggest motivators in my daily life—like my morning coffee—they trigger my energy and allow it flow freely. By learning from my experiences, I have become the unique author of what I know. And so I paint what I know.

I choose to work with specific water-based materials: watercolor, acrylic paint, or ink. Watercolor is my preferred medium because it is immediately responsive; it reminds me that life does not allow for “do overs.” The only certain thing is here, now. The fluidity of my materials allows me to be spontaneous, with no plan or obligation other than to react to what is happening with this paper, that brush, this moment.

This intuitive process of painting helps me delve into intangible, hidden, heart-felt places—something akin to painting as prayer. The movement between the paint and me, hovering, is like dancing with the ghosts of every person and each thing that has ever mattered to me. When I paint I gather all my amulets and channel them into my art. What I feel in my heart becomes visible and tangible.

Currently I work within 3 series: Newlands, Bloomlands and Wetlands. You can read about them here.

SHOP ALL ART >>

ABOUT VERYMARTA, est 2010

V E R Y M A R T A is a brand name (est 2010) of Marta Spendowska.

Marta works under her name as a fine artist and as VERYMARTA within the illustration and product design area.

Additionally, "Spendowska" , as lovely as it is, does cause a bit of a stiff tongue to the non-Polish speaking crowd :)

_____________________________

" I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for"
~ Georgia O’Keeffe

CONTACT MARTA >>

FEATURED INTERVIEWS:

SELECTED PRESS

New Canaanite : Art Show (2019/05/10)
Boston Voyager
Anna Lucy / Big Art Theory: interview (2018/02/07)
Tiffany Han & Raise Your Hand Say Yes podcast, EP. 127: On making a change (2017)
Create Magazine : Issue 3: interview (2017/03/20)
The Jealous Curator: on Danielle's blog + iTunes podcast interview.
Studio Visit Magazine Issue 34 (2016)
Urban Outfitters interview (2016/09/20)
The Jealous Curator (2016/09/15)
Listen Above: We are the REVELERS: Unraveling The Mystery w/ Marta Spendowska (2016/06/21)
Read Above: Green Bay Publishing: Arts Issue (page 25) (2016/03/03)
Evernote: "How Six Amazing Women Get More Done with Evernote": (2016/03/03)
Domino Magazine (2016/02/26)
Design Crush (2016/03/02)
Evernote (full feature + interview on blog): (2016/01/22)

Saatchi Art : Curator: Rebecca Wilson: New & Noteworthy (2016/01/11)
Love Twain (Stella McCartney project): (2016/01/03)
The Jealous Curator (2015/02/09)
Artsy Forager (2015/03/04)

SELECTED PRESS

Saatchi Art (2015/03/01)
Communication Arts (2014/12/15)
Oprah Magazine (2014/07)
Pattern Pulp (2015/02/13)
Design Work Life (2014/05/15)
The Jealous Curator (2013/09/30)
Style.com (2014/08/01)
House of Creed (2014/08/05)
Communication Arts (2013)
Illustration LTD
Alexandra Franzen
Arsty Shark (2013/04/25)
Illustration Friday (2013/10)
The Working Proof (2012/12/04)
Passion Shake (2014/07/14)
The Migrant Book Club (2012/09/24)

EDUCATION

University of Lodz, Poland: Masters in Marketing & Journalism
NWTC: Graphic Communications (USA)

KNOWN COLLECTIONS:

Ritz Carlton / Half Moon Bay, CA,
Hilton Bayfront, St Petersburg
Hilton Ocean Tower, Hawaii
Hilton SF, San Francisco Caesar Palace / Las Vegas,
District 36, Miami
Marriott Dallas Market Center
Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
Ritz Tyson Corner, VA
Riverplace, Portland OR
Golden Crown, China
Key Tower Millenia, OH
Temple Texas garden Estate
Hilton, NY
Atlanta Hyatt — Villa Christina
Huston Hyatt Place
Westin, Sarasota
Luxury Caribbean Cruise ship,
Waco Student Housing, Texas,
MOWA
Many private collections

AWARDS:

2017 / Joined (judged) NH Art Association
Finalist in 2013 Richeson International Portrait Competition
Finalist in the MOWA (Museum of Wisconsin Art) Biennial 2014
Finalist in Women in Art (online 2015)

CLIENTS:

PUBLISHED (BOOKS):

Art Collector Maine (2019)
Danielle LaPorte, 2016 Planners collaborations (2015/12016/2017/2018/2019)
How to Style Your Brand, Fiona Humberstone (2015)
Domino Magazine (Winter 2014)
1000 Dogs Portraits, Robynne Raye (05/2014)
Discover Your Nutritional Style, Holli Thompson (2014)
Uppercase: Work/Life (2013)
Directory of Illustration (2013)
many magazines

SHOWS:

Sorelle Gallery / New Canaan CT : 5/2019
BUOY / Kittery, ME : 3/2019
Nahcotta, Portsmouth NH : 3/2019
NWS / National Watercolor Society, LA : 10/2018
Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, NH : 7/2018
BUOY / Kittery, ME : 3/2018
Foundation Art Space: *Shift ;Register group show, Exeter, NH : 3/2-3/26, 2018
Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, Portsmouth, NH : 12/2017
Exeter Historic Town Hall Holiday Group Show, Exeter, NH : 12/2017
Tower Hill Botanic Garden, MA: group show / 05/2017
Space 15twenty, LA : group show / 2016
Elliott Fouts Gallery, Sacramento, CA: 4 person show (Heather Day, Marta Spendowska, Emily Jeffords, Christina Baker) / 2016
The Framers Gallery : London, UK / 10/2014
Museum of Wisconsin Art: group show / 2014 Biennial
Solo Show: Central Public Library, Green Bay, WI/ 07/2014
Solo Show: Kavarna, Green Bay, WI / 08/2014
The Richeson Gallery : group show / 10/2013
Cyrcus of Arte : group show / 04/2013
From the Outside, Milwaukee, WI : group show / 10/2012