Rising Stars: Meet Martha Lubbers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Martha Lubbers. 

Hi Martha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m not trained as an artist; rather, creating has always been an innate part of my being. My parents were musicians, my mother’s father an artist; my grandmothers were women with multiple creative outlets. I think I got my first camera at 10, wrote my first poem, and learned to knit around the same time. My school path focused on the literature side of my interests, while art took a backseat in my life. When our boys were born, my inspiratons were channeled in that vein ~ knitting, sewing, and domesticity ruled the day. Even my job was at a yarn store, where my knitting skills were put to use. I continued to write poetry in my spare time, but it wasn’t my priority. 

Then one day, about 4 years ago, I had a realization that I was no longer feeling fulfilled. All of my creative energies were being channeled away from me. I was creating on a daily basis, but it wasn’t to fulfill myself. The ideas and needs that were taking up my time were other people’s rather than my own. I am extremely fortunate that my husband understood this and actively encouraged me to quit my job to focus on my writing and my artistry. And that is what I have been doing over these last few years. 

I took the time to begin painting. I had always longed to be a Painter, but it seemed almost impossible. My brain told me that I wasn’t educated as an artist. But when I made that decision to “live the creative life,” I knew that it wasn’t out of reach. At that point, I understood that the technical aspects were all I needed to learn; living on the lakeshore gave me all the inspiration I could ever desire for subject matter. I began small, with abstract pieces in acrylics and watercolors. I checked out books from the library and watched many YouTube tutorials on techniques. I felt inspired to create. Currently, I am working with oils for painting my waterscapes, but still enjoy acrylics for abstracts. 

To me, daily creativity is essential, in whatever form it takes – whether in words, textiles, photography, or painting – putting beauty out into the world fulfills the soul’s needs. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I think the biggest struggle has been overcoming that little voice that compares my work to others. The imp that says, “you aren’t good enough,” which is very very easy to listen to when you spend too much time online looking at others’ work. Admiring, going to museums, looking at insta accounts/websites, and studying art books with the intention of letting it inspire is wonderful. But as soon as the comparisons begin, I try to set that aside and just do my own thing. Often, I will work in a different medium from what I’m comparing myself to. Giving myself the opportunity to move beyond those doubts can be a challenge! 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have to be honest; I don’t know what I am known for, but I see myself as a painter and a poet. I love working in textiles (mainly knitting and hand-quilting) and taking photographs, but what stretches me is painting and writing poems. Trying to catch what calls to me and synthesize it down to that internal truth is what keeps me creating. 

Years ago, when we all used to blog, I named mine Respite, because (in the words I wrote then): “It is my very small hope, that in some lucky way, these pages will be a bit of respite in your day. And maybe a chance to contemplate something lovely in your own ordinary, everyday life.” 

And that is what I hope all of my work does. 

What are your plans for the future?
First and foremost, I plan to continue creating daily. 

But a couple future hopes are to do a small run of prints/cards of some paintings, as well as publishing a book of poems with my photos/art that is in the same theme as the poetry. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marthalubbers.bigcartel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mk_lubbers_art/
• Other: https://respiteblog.wordpress.com/

Image Credits
Martha Lubbers