Martha Matthews

Charlotte, NC | In Memoriam

Artist Statement: Images represented in the fiber art created by Martha Matthews range from tranquil still lifes to the land as the visual sustenance of existence. She searches for a way to visually express the spiritual aspects of life in our secular culture. Seduced by the tactile beauty of fiber, Matthews turned from painting to tapestry and “drawing” with a sewing machine. “I am concerned with the shapes and colors of the positive and negative spaces, the way forms move across the picture plane, and the tensions that develop to keep the eye of the viewer involved in a balanced and interesting composition.”

Obituary:  Martha Matthews passed away on June 16, 2015.  She had been an exhibiting member since 1988. Martha graduated from Mary Baldwin College with a degree in Art History and Painting, attended the Art Students League in New York City and was a fiber artist weaving tapestries and drawing with the sewing machine for 40 years. Her work has been exhibited in the US, Canada and Kenya and has been published in a number of magazines, periodicals and books on fiber. Martha’s work is included in many private and corporate collections such as IBM Corporation, Steelcase Inc., Hospital Corporation of America, Wachovia Bank and Trust Co., The Mint Museum and the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Martha was an Elder and active member of Covenant Presbyterian Church. She enjoyed supporting the arts, sailing and gardening.

Exhibiting Member from 1998-2015