About
Andrea Martens is a visual artist living and working in Roanoke, Virginia. In addition to creating in the studio, she teaches in the Art Department at Hollins University. She received her MFA in Printmaking from Colorado State University, and received a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio Art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Virginia Tech with minors in art and biology.
Martens has been a member of the Boston Printmakers since 2008. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and most recently she had solo exhibitions in Telluride & Durango, Colorado. Her work is also included in Douro, Portugal’s Global Print IV & the 10th International Printmaking Biennial, and the upcoming Conexiones/Connections Printmaking Exhibition in Havana, Cuba. She has received several grants at the state and college level and has done artist residencies in New Zealand, Venice, Italy, & Vermont, USA.
In her most recent body of work Martens continues her exploration of mixed media printmaking, focusing on the complexities surrounding the human impact on our oceans and their inhabitants in contemporary industrial society. In this work she furthers her investigation of the human-animal relationship and issues of open space and confinement, as well as physical and psychological space. Working in series, her technique is grounded in printmaking, and incorporates materials including handmade paper and encaustic for their fragile yet resilient qualities. Through this work she aims to examine our human footprint and its impact on our world. Martens is not only vested in the content and form of visual work, but also in the role of the artist within our societal context, and the artist’s response through their art to the world around them.
Martens is a certified yoga instructor and enjoys Nordic skiing, paddle boarding, and practicing yoga and meditation in her free time.