Designer, maker, teacher.
Martha Collins’s passion is to weave wood, and she has been doing it for 45 years. She creates personal and unique three-dimensional works of art–jewelry, ceremonial bowls, and tableware–with exotic and domestic hardwoods and bright veneers. The natural beauty of the wood is enriched with a dyed veneer, a combination that distinguishes her work and results in truly one-of-a-kind pieces.
She is excited by the patterns that can be created with different thicknesses of laminated material, various species of hardwoods, and dyed veneer. By weaving the wood, she creates an effect that resembles fabric, needlework, or beadwork.
Reflecting upon her original artistic inspiration, Martha recalls a cabinet shop run by friends. Not only did the work look like fun, it made an impression upon her that at the end of the day, a table existed where none had been that morning. She began as a carpenter’s apprentice in 1973.
In addition to designing and making her pieces, Martha is on the faculty of the Port Townsend School of Woodworking and teaches an array of classes including mosaic jewelry lamination, decorative panel and inlay, jewelry making, and more. She is a recipient of the NorthShore Glenbrook Hospital Purchase Award at ACE 2018, the Distinction in Wood Award at CraftsBoston 2017, and the RAGS Tacoma, WA 2016 Jewelry Award, among other honors.
Martha loves ACE and is deeply appreciative of the opportunity to share her work at this show.
Revel in more of Martha’s work on her website or join her in person at the American Craft Exposition (ACE) September 20-22, 2019 at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Tickets to ACE 2019 are available here now.