Martha Kokkinos

Born in Montreal, Martha is an artist working out of her home studio in Ottawa, Ontario. Art has always been a passion spending countless hours drawing and sketching as a child. As an adult she started to explore mediums such as oil and acrylic paint and enrolled in several courses at the Ottawa School of Art as well as several artist workshops.

 She enjoys the freedom that painting gives her, the fluidity and expressiveness it offers, working with acrylics initially because they allowed her the ability to be spontaneous with colour and texture. Color in fact is the most stimulating aspect of her work. It is the starting point for every painting.

 Most recently she has moved into using oil as a medium and recording landscapes and big open skies. Although the compositions are more representational than past work they are still energetic and spontaneous. There is an atmospheric quality to the work, inspired by shorelines, shifting light, and the rhythm of water. Her paintings evoke a sense of openness and quiet movement. She is able to capture the essence of place rather than its exact form.

“The medium decides what will happen and ultimately dictates the end result. The work is about colour, texture and movement. The viewer is then left to attach their own connection and emotion to the work from these elements.”