MARTY SPENCE
artist's statement
Born in Chattanooga, TN, Spence earned a BFA from the University of Memphis and Columbia University; and an MA in Studio & Environmental Art at New York University. Works have been included in many exhibitions throughout the United States and in Europe including solo shows in New York and Los Angeles and group exhibitions at the Institute of Architecture in Venice, Italy.
Poised between abstraction and representation, the work invites the viewer to step through a metaphysical doorway. Layers of subtle color and soft transitions combine to create a surprising opposition of strong form and ephemeral light.
Marty Spence’s large oil paintings approach symbols recalling the feel of a particular yet universal place. The use of bright light washing out the edges causes the negative and positive forms to play backward and forward within the paintings.
Searching beyond the mundane for ways to see into the moment, to observe the small and the ordinary, reaching for the heart, the part in rhythm with the life of the universe. As in Chinese calligraphy the single brush stroke must carry the essence of the meaning, “The brush should conform with the concept in the heart.... The suppleness must, however, have strength and the curve be pleasing to the eye”.
Oil washes on canvas convey transparencies of light and shadow, and relate to study of Western classicism. The warm tones refer to the earth and stone bathed in light, first experienced in Venice, Italy. There amid ancient buildings the mystery of the past gives the simplest vision a window onto other worlds.
Freeways
“This series evolved as day after day driving over the Freeways of San Diego County and back and forth across the United States, between New York, Tennessee, and California I am amazed by the incredible engineering feats of the last half of the twentieth century. Soaring bands of concrete and steel flex in the sunlight. Especially in early morning and at sunset, the light gives the concrete masses the illusion of disappearing into the atmosphere.”
Watercolors
The watercolors are an immediate record, often of a particular vision. They as well, become resources for larger paintings that approach symbols, which recall a feeling of a particular yet universal place.
one person exhibitions
2000 “New Directions”, Visual Arts Alliance, Nashville, TN
1999 “Painting & Sculpture”, Cheekwood Museum of Art, Nashville, TN
“Welcome to Nashville”, Nashville, TN
1998 “COVA Open Studios”, San Diego, CA
“Sony Artwalk”, Artplex, San Diego, CA,
1997 “Transitional Exhibitions”, City of New York, New York, NY Curator: Marta Kot
“Spring ‘97”, Coffee on the Court, Memphis, TN
“Revisited”, Anne’s, Covington, TN
1996 “Passages” M.A. Exhibition, 80 Washington Sq. E. Galleries, New York, NY
1992 “Mexico Landscape”, Lexington Scenery & Props, Los Angeles, CA
1985 “Portraits & Drawings”, Roundtable Gallery, Memphis, TN
selected group exhibitions
2010 Broome Street Gallery, New York, Artist of Six, Juried Artists Equity Assc.
2009 Broome Street Gallery, New York, Artist of Five, Juried Artists Equity Assc.
2008 Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, Summer Arts Program
2002 Macy Gallery, New York, NY, “do you believe in magic?” (Digital video)
President’s House, Teachers College, Columbia University
2001 Macy Gallery, New York, NY, “Women’s Visions”
Salone dell’AAB, Brescia, Italy, “il chiaroscuro” (catalogue)
2000 Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice, Italy, NYU Venice, (catalogue)
Artsynergy, Nashville, TN, Artists’ Studio Tour
1999 Artrageous, Nashville, TN, AIDS Benefit
Fugitive Art Center, Nashville, TN, “Opening Exhibition”
NEA–Nashville Entertainment Assc., TN, “Artstravaganza” (Edu. Benefit)
1998 First Tennessee Bank, Memphis, TN, “Southern Artists”
Playhouse on the Square, Memphis, TN, “21st Annual Art Auction”
1997 Paladion, San Diego, CA “Women’s Caucus for Art” Annual Juried Show
Southwestern College Gallery, Chula Vista, CA “The Faculty” Curator: Pasha Turley
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN “Collection of the University—97”
Casa Italiana Zerilli—Marimò, NY, NY “3rd Annual Juried Venice Show”
Playhouse on the Square, Memphis, TN, “20th Annual Art Auction”
1996 Rosenberg Gallery, New York, NY, “Captured Space” (catalogue)
Institute of Social Policy, New York, NY, “Arches”
Gallery Swan, New York, NY, “Abstraction”
Loeb Student Center, New York, NY, “Off the Wall”
1995 Artists Space, New York, NY, “Night of 1000 Drawings” (benefit)
New York University, New York, NY, “Open Studios”
New York University in Venice, Venice, Italy, “NYU Venice 1975–1995” (catalogue)
I.U.A.V., School of Architecture, Venice, Italy, “Manipulated Space” installation
1994 New York University, Venice, Italy, NYU, “Venice 1994 ” (catalogue)
1992 New Canyon Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, “1st Ann. Invitational Portrait Show”
1985 Art Students League, New York, NY, “Figurative Painting”
1983 Art Students League, New York, NY, “The Figure”
1982 Art Students League, New York, NY
1979 Sycamore Gallery, Memphis, TN, “Portraits”
1977 Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA
Born in Chattanooga, TN, Spence earned a BFA from the University of Memphis and Columbia University; and an MA in Studio & Environmental Art at New York University. Works have been included in many exhibitions throughout the United States and in Europe including solo shows in New York and Los Angeles and group exhibitions at the Institute of Architecture in Venice, Italy.
Poised between abstraction and representation, the work invites the viewer to step through a metaphysical doorway. Layers of subtle color and soft transitions combine to create a surprising opposition of strong form and ephemeral light.
Marty Spence’s large oil paintings approach symbols recalling the feel of a particular yet universal place. The use of bright light washing out the edges causes the negative and positive forms to play backward and forward within the paintings.
Searching beyond the mundane for ways to see into the moment, to observe the small and the ordinary, reaching for the heart, the part in rhythm with the life of the universe. As in Chinese calligraphy the single brush stroke must carry the essence of the meaning, “The brush should conform with the concept in the heart.... The suppleness must, however, have strength and the curve be pleasing to the eye”.
Oil washes on canvas convey transparencies of light and shadow, and relate to study of Western classicism. The warm tones refer to the earth and stone bathed in light, first experienced in Venice, Italy. There amid ancient buildings the mystery of the past gives the simplest vision a window onto other worlds.
Freeways
“This series evolved as day after day driving over the Freeways of San Diego County and back and forth across the United States, between New York, Tennessee, and California I am amazed by the incredible engineering feats of the last half of the twentieth century. Soaring bands of concrete and steel flex in the sunlight. Especially in early morning and at sunset, the light gives the concrete masses the illusion of disappearing into the atmosphere.”
Watercolors
The watercolors are an immediate record, often of a particular vision. They as well, become resources for larger paintings that approach symbols, which recall a feeling of a particular yet universal place.
one person exhibitions
2000 “New Directions”, Visual Arts Alliance, Nashville, TN
1999 “Painting & Sculpture”, Cheekwood Museum of Art, Nashville, TN
“Welcome to Nashville”, Nashville, TN
1998 “COVA Open Studios”, San Diego, CA
“Sony Artwalk”, Artplex, San Diego, CA,
1997 “Transitional Exhibitions”, City of New York, New York, NY Curator: Marta Kot
“Spring ‘97”, Coffee on the Court, Memphis, TN
“Revisited”, Anne’s, Covington, TN
1996 “Passages” M.A. Exhibition, 80 Washington Sq. E. Galleries, New York, NY
1992 “Mexico Landscape”, Lexington Scenery & Props, Los Angeles, CA
1985 “Portraits & Drawings”, Roundtable Gallery, Memphis, TN
selected group exhibitions
2010 Broome Street Gallery, New York, Artist of Six, Juried Artists Equity Assc.
2009 Broome Street Gallery, New York, Artist of Five, Juried Artists Equity Assc.
2008 Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, Summer Arts Program
2002 Macy Gallery, New York, NY, “do you believe in magic?” (Digital video)
President’s House, Teachers College, Columbia University
2001 Macy Gallery, New York, NY, “Women’s Visions”
Salone dell’AAB, Brescia, Italy, “il chiaroscuro” (catalogue)
2000 Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice, Italy, NYU Venice, (catalogue)
Artsynergy, Nashville, TN, Artists’ Studio Tour
1999 Artrageous, Nashville, TN, AIDS Benefit
Fugitive Art Center, Nashville, TN, “Opening Exhibition”
NEA–Nashville Entertainment Assc., TN, “Artstravaganza” (Edu. Benefit)
1998 First Tennessee Bank, Memphis, TN, “Southern Artists”
Playhouse on the Square, Memphis, TN, “21st Annual Art Auction”
1997 Paladion, San Diego, CA “Women’s Caucus for Art” Annual Juried Show
Southwestern College Gallery, Chula Vista, CA “The Faculty” Curator: Pasha Turley
University of Memphis, Memphis, TN “Collection of the University—97”
Casa Italiana Zerilli—Marimò, NY, NY “3rd Annual Juried Venice Show”
Playhouse on the Square, Memphis, TN, “20th Annual Art Auction”
1996 Rosenberg Gallery, New York, NY, “Captured Space” (catalogue)
Institute of Social Policy, New York, NY, “Arches”
Gallery Swan, New York, NY, “Abstraction”
Loeb Student Center, New York, NY, “Off the Wall”
1995 Artists Space, New York, NY, “Night of 1000 Drawings” (benefit)
New York University, New York, NY, “Open Studios”
New York University in Venice, Venice, Italy, “NYU Venice 1975–1995” (catalogue)
I.U.A.V., School of Architecture, Venice, Italy, “Manipulated Space” installation
1994 New York University, Venice, Italy, NYU, “Venice 1994 ” (catalogue)
1992 New Canyon Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, “1st Ann. Invitational Portrait Show”
1985 Art Students League, New York, NY, “Figurative Painting”
1983 Art Students League, New York, NY, “The Figure”
1982 Art Students League, New York, NY
1979 Sycamore Gallery, Memphis, TN, “Portraits”
1977 Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA
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