>> CREATING IS SO MUCH LIKE SCIENCE AND LIKE RESEARCH
BECAUSE FOR A WHILE YOU'RE THE
ONLY PERSON WHO KNOWS WHAT
YOU'VE MADE.
YOU'VE MADE. THERE'S A SPECIALNESS OF MAKING
AND KNOWING AND SEEING AND
HAVING THAT YOU HAVE BY YOURSELF
FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND THEN YOU
SORT OF LIKE THROW IT OUT THERE
AND SHARE IT WITH EVERYBODY.
THAT'S WHAT I GET TO DO WITH MY
ART NOW.
ART NOW. >> HER UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE IS THE
PRODUCT OF A UNIQUE PAST.
SHE WAS BORN IN THE REPUBLIC,
MOVED TO CANADA WITH HER
FAMILIES, AND CAME TO IU TO
PURSUE POST DOC OPPORTUNITIES IN
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY. EVENTUALLY SHE MET HER HUSBAND
AND STARTED A FAMILY.
>> I CONTINUED TO DO THE
SCIENCE, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING
STILL MISSING IN MY LIFE.
SO I REMEMBER PERFECTLY WHEN WAS
SITTING ON THE FLOOR DRAWING,
COLORING WITH CRAYONS AND I
SAID, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO
GET BACK TO MY ROOTS AS AN
ARTIST.
ARTIST. MY HUSBAND HAS JUST GOTTEN
TENURE, SO WE HAD SOME
STABILITY.
STABILITY. HE SAID, LET'S DO IT.
LET'S TRY IT FOR A YEAR.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY!
LET'S TRY IT.
>> THAT WAS 12 YEARS AGO.
THERE WERE QUESTIONS EARLY ON
ABOUT THE PERFECT MEDIUM.
CLAY WAS CONSIDERED AS WAS PEN
AND INK.
AND INK. BUT MARTINA EVENTUALLY SETTLED
ON A UNIQUE FORM OF FIBER ART.
>> I AM NOT A PURIST.
I USE FIBER ART SO THAT IT WORKS
FOR ME.
FOR ME. SO I USE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
TECHNIQUES IN MY WORK.
THE BACKGROUND, THE BASE, IS
USUALLY WOVEN, AND I WILL DO A
TABBY WEAVE, WHICH IS IN OUT, IN
OUT, AND OUT IN, OUT IN.
I WILL ADD SUMAC THAT CREATES
LOOPS IN THE BACKGROUND.
I WILL CROCHET OFF OF THOSE TO
BUILD THE DIMENSION.
I WILL ALSO USE NEEDLE QUILL
TINGE TO FLATTEN OR CREATE
STRUCTURES INDEPENDENT OF THE
ACTUAL BACKGROUND PIECE.
I WILL USE EMBROIDERY IF I WANT
TO STITCH SOMETHING ELSE ON.
ANY FIBER TECHNIQUES THAT SEEMS
LIKE THE RIGHT TECHNIQUE, THAT'S
WHAT I'LL USE.
THE SUBJECT MATTER OF MY PIECES
TENDS TO BE NATURE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I RESPOND TO
NONE OF THE SCENES I CREATE CAN
YOU GO TO ON A MAP.
THEY ARE FUSIONS OF DIFFERENT
PLACES I HAVE BEEN, DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD.
THEY'RE SORT OF A PERFECT WORLD
I CREATE.
I CREATE. I WORK -- MY WORK INCORPORATES A
LOT OF FOUND OBJECTS.
WHAT GOES INTO THE PIECE DEPENDS
ON WHAT THE PIECE NEEDS.
I SORT OF LOOK AT THE PIECE, AND
SOMETIMES THERE'S A TEXTURE ON A
FOUND OBJECT I JUST DON'T FEEL
LIKE I CAN RECREATE.
SO HAVING LIKE A SMALL PEBBLE OR
SMALL ROCK STANDING IN FOR A BIG
ROCK OR BOULDER IS EXACTLY WHAT
I FEEL LIKE THE PIECE NEEDS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO ME IN MY WORK IS
THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DETAIL.
THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
AND THAT REALLY ENCOURAGES THE
VIEWER TO DO THAT
CLOSE-UP/FAR-AWAY INSPECTION OF
MY WORK.
MY WORK. ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST LOVE
USING ARE FEATHERS.
MY HUSBAND AND MY SON LIKE TO
FISH.
FISH. WE GO TO BAIT SHOPS.
I CALL IT MY ART SUPPLY STORE.
I PICK UP A LOT OF FEATHERS THAT
ARE USUALLY USED FOR TYING
FISHING LURES.
FISHING LURES. THOSE ARE OFTEN GREEN AND I WILL
INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THE
WEAVINGS AS WELL.
IS THAT A FEATHER?
YES, IT IS.
EACH OF MY PIECES HAS A WHOLE STORY BEHIND IT.
I REALLY WISH IN SOME WAYS I
COULD SIT AND EXPLAIN TO EVERY
PERSON THAT IS ENGAGED BY A
PERSON WHAT THE BACK STORY IS.
BECAUSE MY PIECES TAKE A LOCK
TIME TO CREATE AND SO I SPEND A
LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT THE
PIECE, AND I OFTEN SPEND A LOT
OF TIME EVEN BEFORE I START
THINKING THROUGH THE PIECE AND
WHAT I WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE.
IN SO MANY CASES THERE IS A
SPECIAL OBJECT THAT'S ON THE
PIECE OR SOME MATERIAL THAT'S ON
THERE THAT I WOULD LOVE TO A --
OH, MY GOSH, IT'S A SHOELACE AND
IT CAME FROM MY SON.
IT'S WHEN HE OUTGREW -- I WASH
THEM.
THEM. EACH PIECE HAS A STORY IN IT.
SO MANY OF THE STORIES PEOPLE
NEVER HURRY BUT I CARRY THEM
AROUND IN MY HEART.
I GUESS I NEVER SEE BARRIERS.
ONE OF THE PIECES OF ADVICE MY
FRIEND DAWN ADAMS GAVE ME, SHE
IS A PAINTER, SHE SAID, MAKE
YOUR BEST WORK AND PUT IT OUT
THERE.
THERE. IF IT'S GOOD WORK, I WILL SELL.
THAT'S WHAT I DO.
I GO INTO MY OWN HEART AND
CREATE WHAT I WANT TO CREATE AND
PUT IT OUT THERE.
IN THE STAGE OF LIFE I'M IN
RIGHT NOW, I'M IN A BEAUTIFUL
STAGE OF LIFE, AND I THINK MY
ART COMES POURING OUT WITH