ARTIST
PAULETTE MARTSOLF
Dallas | TX
As a former fashion designer, Martsolf’s decades of experience in the industry have both nurtured and honed her skills for her current artistic journey. Continuing to use techniques such as cutting, sculpting, sewing, and layering, Paulette has found a new form of expression through art.
Martsolf draws inspiration from the past, incorporating elements such as recycled textiles and found objects. She is dedicated to evoking the ethereal energy of these elements to allow viewers to experience the emotional power of a memory.
AVAILABLE WORKS
BIOGRAPHY
Born in the striking landscapes of St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1957, Paulette Martsolf discovered her future as an artist at an early age. Raised in a source of natural beauty, her upbringing was a constant immersion into captivating scenery where she discovered her deep connections with the environment and how it informed her artistic endeavors.
Her formal education was heavily entwined with art, placing her in creative environments that nurtured and honed her skills for the journey ahead. However, surviving in the art world often requires diversions into alternative paths. After school, she embarked on her career as a clothing designer, a twist of fate that she believes amplified her unique approach towards art.
Inspired by childhood memories and a fascination with found objects from the past, Martsolf often combs the shores and wharves of her beloved Newfoundland, seeking to reintegrate lost treasures into her contemporary oeuvre. This dedication towards evoking the ethereal energies of these objects displays the power of memory in her work. The ever-present themes of the human form, movement, and the environment are evident in both her 2D and 3D pieces.
Her initial process begins with the application of paint and ink to paper or Tyvek, the prediction of a unique expression of her artistic prowess. Building further on her past as a clothing designer, she utilizes techniques such as weaving, sewing, sculpting, and layering to enhance the textures of her pieces, bridging out from her roots in the designing field. Abstract expressionistic methodologies echo throughout her work, reflecting the influence of artists like Pollack.
Her careful selection of subject matter is an exploration into the depths of form, whether of human beings or elements of the natural world. The process of creating for Martsolf is one of expansion – the acoustic development of aesthetics and technique into a personalized collection of works that reflect her idiosyncratic spirit.
Martsolf places immense value on the individual reception and interpretation of her art, affirming the unique experiences her artworks generate for audiences.
People often marvel at the harmonious balance she strikes within her complex use of materials and techniques. Martsolf believes art is a reflection of the society it is created within and that it possesses the power to affect societal change. Even in her non-art related hobbies, Martsolf stays connected to her artistic philosophy.
Her work rings loud with her deeply ingrained values. She uses her work as a platform to emphasize the importance of connections with nature, our roots and ourselves. Exploring growth in her artistic career, she hopes to continue to impact audiences with her deeply personal and exquisitely executed pieces.
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
The Umbrella Gallery - Dallas, TX —2024
Martsolf Lively Contemporary - ‘Screeched In’ - Richardson, TX —2023
Unanimously juried into the Santa Fe Gallery Association 2023 Artistic Catalog —2023
Eisemann Center - ‘Unstoppable!’ - Dallas, TX —2022
Murchison Gallery - Denton, TX —2022, 2023, 2024
Martsolf Lively Contemporary - Richardson, TX —2020
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Christopher Martin Gallery - ‘Dreamscape’ - Dallas, TX —2024
The Bath House Cultural Center - ‘Ageless Passion’ - Dallas, TX —2024
Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Exhibition - Fort Worth, TX —2023
The Bath House Cultural Center - ‘Natural Diversity’ - Dallas, TX —2023
Janette Kennedy Gallery - ‘A Women Underworld’ - Dallas, TX —2023
George A. Purefoy Municipal Center - ‘Art in the Atrium’ - Frisco, TX —2022
Texas Woman’s University - ‘Materials Hard. & Soft’ - Denton, TX —2022
McKinney Performing Arts Center - ‘Unique by Nature’ - McKinney, TX —2022
Janette Kennedy Gallery - ‘ One on One’ - Dallas, TX. —2022
VALA - ‘Convergence of Art’ - Dallas, TX —2022
Rockwall Art League - Juried First Place - Rockwall, TX —2021
Martsolf Lively Contemporary - Richardson, TX —2020
ONLINE EXHIBITIONS
Light Space Time —2022
Camelback Gallery (Bronze Award) —2022
Art Ideal (Print & Online) —2022
Artistonish —2022
The Artist’s Circle —2021
Scenic International —2021