Martha Baum   Creating cottage art from scenes of the Maine coastal landscape
		“I delight in the colorful rhythms of a busy working harbor, or the juxtaposition of stark architecture against the brilliant blue ocean on a sunny day.  Out on the islands, a bright, humid morning provides that perfect, moist atmosphere, magnifying the colors of rose-hips bouncing in the wind and fishing boats tugging at moorings.”
Martha Baum took her first painting class while teaching at an elementary school in Denver, but after just two months, she quit her job, sold her home and decided to pursue art on a full time basis studying with master painters for the next two years…a decision she has never regretted.  Although she eventually returned to teaching for a period of time before becoming a full time artist, Martha spent evenings, weekends, and vacations at the easel, translating summer visits to Maine islands and coastal areas into striking visual images on canvas. She currently resides in Bath, Maine and from her home continues to explore and paint the small coastal villages and landscapes.  The result is an impressive body of work which is gaining favor and building a reputation among an expanding number of collectors. Baum attributes her love for the sea and  the decision to reside near the water as a result of growing up in Michigan, where she recalls her happiest childhood memories as those out on the water in a boat, or driving toward the lake in anticipation of the first glimpse of summer cottages and sparkling water. As she explains it,   “I loved the way one could ‘feel’ the lake in the increasingly moist air before the water actually came into view…Although I couldn’t define it then, I also loved the rich, intensely chromatic colors both on and off the water, a direct result of the moisture-soaked atmosphere.   They say that we ‘imprint’ onto our early visual experiences, and spend our lives looking for ways to re-experience and extend those memories.  I know that is true for me…” Today, she divides her time between her studio and trips to Vinalhaven Island, Stonington, and Monhegan Island.  She also teaches beginning oil painting classes in her home and at Riverarts in Damariscotta.  Her paintings are currently on exhibit at Maine Cottage Furniture in Yarmouth and can also be viewed and purchased via her website, www.marthabaum.com.