Virtuous II > Marta Wiley

Marta Wiley's art is as colorful, captivating, and varied as the artist herself. She was born in Mexico City and is of European, Mexican, and Cherokee descent. As a child, young Wiley exhibited a wild streak that her grandmother, also an artist, helped channel into the fine arts. She credits her grandmother with teaching her everything she knows about painting. Time and maturity have not stilled the childhood energy and wonderful spirit of this artist. Wiley's artistic passions run as deeply and soulfully as her dignified figurative creations. She received her formal training at Otis Parsons School of Design. The inspiration for Wiley's work springs from a variety of places — from the mystical and mythological experimental films of Maya Daren, to the far-reaching expanses of Carlos Castenada's writing, to meditation and self-imposed discipline. These inspirations are all evidenced through her art — the dreamlike and alluring figuratives, the romantic and fantastical quality of her settings, the bold texturing and decisive detailing. These all converge to produce imagery that is as seductive as it is contemplative. Wiley has also been influenced by the work and technique of John Singer Sargent, Edvard Munch and Käthe Kollwitz. Now working and residing in the Southwest, Wiley is involved with a variety of personal interests in addition to her artwork, including her intense concern for the environment and her music.