Marty Coleman

Utata Member

Bio

Started drawing at 5, taught by my grandfather in his studio. Was always going to be an artist, never seriously considered anything else.

Started drawing naked people at age 17, got a degree in art at 23, got a second degree in art at 29. Taught drawing and art at the college level from age 29 to 39. Exhibited my work in group, one and two person shows, won some awards, grants, attention, etc. Sold some, not much.

Moved into commercial art via computers at 39 and have worked in CDROM and internet design since then. Currently designing and running a large internet site for a medical college here in Oklahoma.

Started using photography as source material when I was doing photo-realist work in graduate school. Pretty soon the photos took on a life of their own. Focused on collage and book series, such as photos of body impressions collaged on top of Impressionist paintings, rejected photographs collaged onto rejection letters, photos of the body in bondage collaged into the book 'Of Human Bondage'. No, not THAT kind of bondage, I mean everyday bondage. Check out the series to see what I mean. I also did commissioned black and white portraits and figures during that time.

My larger scale artistic efforts came back into focus once my youngest daughter moved out. I am currently working on a series entitled 'Velveteen Woman'. It refers to the book 'Velveteen Rabbit' in which a stuff animal becomes real only after having the evidence on itself that it had lived and been loved. The 'evidence' on women is in stretchmarks, lines, skin tones, veins, wrinkles scars, and more. The project is primarily photo-collage with a view large scale 3D pieces also in progress.

Thanks for reading,
M art Y