Martha Walker is Making Waves at Gossip Girl
Martha Walker knew from an early age that she was going to be an artist, she just didn’t know where it would take her. She certainly wouldn’t have guessed that her work would end up featured on one of the hottest new shows of 2007.
Martha attended Pratt Institute where she received her Masters Degree. She originally studied drawing and worked in clay and animation. But, she said, “sculpture struck me in the heart.” She took a class in welding because it was required and was immediately drawn to it. She explains that you basically “take a piece of rod and bend it” - in that way, it’s essentially a 3-D drawing.
After graduation, Martha worked in sales to pay the bills. She resisted the urge to do anything commercial, saying that she didn’t want to compromise her art.
During that time, Martha formulated ideas for future projects. She says that, when she began creating her pieces, she had no lack of ideas. There was, she says, no creative block.
Martha describes her style as “abstract expressionist.” She gleans inspiration from science and microbiology, some even saying that it’s oceanic - creating a “visual logic” in her work.
Interestingly, she cites many old school artists as her influences and favorites. She names Rodin first, as an artist that she like “a lot” and refers to Michelangelo as “the God.” Martha also admires - and is thankful to - John Pai, whom she describes as a mentor. Pai is a South Korean artist who shows in the Rodin museum in South Korea. He is also Martha’s professor from years ago.
Martha’s art caught the eye of Gossip Girl producers when fellow artist Eric Pesso, a Brooklyn based artist, referred her. After browsing her web site, the show decided to showcase two pieces. One piece, above, is titled T’kiyyah (Sound Of The Shofar). The other, Hope, was inspired by a quote by Anne Frank:
It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.
Hope was purchased recently by a patron and will be placed at the Anne Frank Center (38 Crosby Street, 5th floor, New York, New York 10013).
The appearance on Gossip Girl - in episodes 12 and 13 - has definitely increased Martha’s profile.
So the art world loves her. But what do her kids think? Clearly they now think she’s a rock star. Her daughter is a fan of the show and Martha’s connections meant that she was able to take a tour of the studios and set. Her son wrote a lovely piece about her on Gridskipper, where he is an assistant editor (c’mon, a 23 year old that loves his mother that much? A keeper, for sure!).
Clearly, this isn’t the last you’ll hear of Martha Walker. It’s just the beginning.
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1 opinion for Martha Walker is Making Waves at Gossip Girl
15 minutes media » Martha Walker makes Small Screen Debut
Jan 14, 2008 at 6:06 pm
[…] of her sculptures were featured on 2 episodes of the hit show “Gossip Girl“. There is a great article about her “tv appearance” and a link to the site 15 minutes media […]
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