MARTHA OHLIGER

"I have painted for nearly my whole life, taking classes whenever the opportunity came along. A few years back, noticing that there were so many exceptional landscape painters around, I turned to still-lifes. But I still try to sneak a little landscape into them. Some of my best paintings have come around because of entering art shows that have themes. It started with a painting of china dogs that I did to submit to an animal show. I like the challenge of using my still-life format to give a unique take on the theme."

MARTHA OHLIGER

"Born and raised in St. Albans, I have lived my whole life in Northern Vermont. I am a member of the Essex Art League, NVAA and the Bryan Memorial Gallery. I work in traditional oils, doing still life arrangements of dishes in a realistic manner. I chose dishes because I feel they make a statement about family connections and values. Recently, I have tried to add landscapes because this is such a beautiful state we live in."

MARTHA OHLIGER

"When I first started to paint and exhibit still lives, I was surprised at the positive reaction of the people who saw them. I realized that people looked on these familiar dishes with affection and nostalgia, so I began to try to make art about family connections, generations, and what people cherish. My paintings are a reminder that the rural character of Vermont never prevented people from appreciating beauty as well as function. I work intuitively without thumbnails, value studies or sometimes even a defined composition, using traditional oils in a realistic manner. I like to think of my paintings as snapshots from a family."