About
Marty Husted’s paintings are an expression of joy, storytelling and spirit. As a child, her favorite things to do were to play in the woods, draw, dream, and allow her imagination to transport her to fantasy worlds and far-off places. Coming from a family of professional artists, she was always encouraged and supported to pursue artistic creativity. One of her earliest memories includes her art professor father and his artistic expectation of his five young daughters. He asked them to complete a stack of drawings each week and would praise each child for their efforts. Husted’s goal was to always be the child who produced the most and the best drawings. This started her lifetime love of art and, throughout her childhood, she continued to express herself through illustrating stories and drawing from her imagination.
After completing her Bachelor of Arts degree at Columbus College of Design, Husted began to successfully pursue her dream of illustrating children’s books. It was a perfect opportunity for her to start a family and work remotely with publishing companies. She illustrated both trade and educational books, some winning national awards. Eventually, Husted decided to focus on artwork that expressed her love of nature.
Although Husted currently lives in Columbus, Ohio, she draws much of her inspiration from many areas of the country and the world but, most particularly, from the forests and hills of Appalachia. Spending time at the family cabin nestled in the hills of Southern Ohio gives her the opportunity to connect with natural surroundings and interpret the visual symphony she observes while she paints. Embracing a mixed media approach, Husted paints landscapes that go beyond literal interpretation. Her process begins with the use of personal reference photos that she uses as a guide for her compositions. Starting with a fairly literal painting on canvas, she adds layers of different media and colors to emphasize organic shapes and textures seen in nature.
Inspired in part by Gustav Klimt, her work uses whimsical patterns and dramatic color to create a mysterious ethereal surface. Husted’s desire is to take viewers on an imaginary journey with an enticing interpretation of the world.