Martha’s study of textiles began in the 90’s when, as a ceramic artist, she developed her “clay quilt” wall pieces—clay tiles assembled to recall traditional quilt designs. Over time she transitioned to textile work, creating art quilts using “fabric tiles” —squares of fabric stacked and quilted. (image, right)
She now creates mixed media art quilts, textile sculptures, and wall hangings as well as framed fiber collage.
An eleven year career in theater costume design and her current volunteer work with the historical clothing collection at Blithewold Mansion Gardens & Arboretum in Bristol RI has influenced her art practice. Her wall hangings and textile sculptures often speak to the dynamics between constructed garments and artistic expression.
My most recent work includes botanical dye, ink, and paint techniques. Growing indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) in my garden, I am finding various ways to bring the plant’s hidden blue to fabrics. This year my dye garden expanded to include coreopsis, black hollyhock dyer’s chamomile, woad, cosmos, and marigolds.
Aware of the vast environmental pollution associated with the textile industry, I strive toward a more sustainable art practice using primarily vintage, recovered, or repurposed textiles and natural dye processes. I am a proud member of the i3C Artists Group: Inspiring Change for the Climate Crisis.
Instagram: marthakheller
Juried Exhibitions
2024
Changing Tides, Hopkinton Center for the Arts, Hopkinton MA
Too Hot! Kingston Gallery, Boston MA
Entwined, Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA
Re-Imagining our World: Rejected Materials Reinvented, LexArt, Lexington MA
Voices and Visions, Galatea Fine Art, Boston MA
2023
Climate Change: Creating Conversations on a Global Crisis, Multicultural Arts Center, Cambridge MA
Illumination, Gallery Twist, Lexington MA
Members Exhibit 2023, Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA
HOME, Lexington Arts and Crafts Society and LexHab, Lexington MA
2023 Mary Schein Fall Salon, Kathryn Schultz Gallery, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge MA
Metamorphosis: Artistic Visions for a Resilient Planet, Scolleys Gallery, Boston City Hall
Inspiring Change for the Climate Crisis: The Non-Human is Pushing Back, Piano Craft Gallery, Boston MA
Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts, Galatea Fine Art, Boston MA
The Fabric of Life, Arts League of Lowell, Lowell MA
Best of LexArt, Lexington Society of Arts and Crafts, Lexington MA
Danforth Annual Juried Exhibition 2023, Danforth Museum, Framingham MA
Used, Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro MA
Lasting Impressions, Gallery Twist, Lexington MA
Reflections, Listening to Nature, The Umbrella Arts Gallery, Concord MA
i3C at CAA@CANAL, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge MA
Talking Points, Cambridge College, Cambridge MA
From the Heart, The Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA
Winter Dreaming, Suzuki School of Music, Newton MA
Red, Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge MA
2022
Inspiring Change for the Climate Crisis @The Belmont Gallery of Art, Belmont MA
Illumination, Gallery Twist, Lexington MA
Contemporary Abstract, Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA
Member Show, Newton Art Association, Allen House, Newton MA
Meditations on the Climate Crisis: Inspiring Change 2022, honeyjones Gallery, Cambridge MA
23rd Annual Wills Creek Exhibition of Fine Art, Allegheny Arts Council, Cumberland MD
Flights of Fancy Gallery Twist, Lexington MA
Inspiring Change for the Climate Crisis @Arthaus Gallery, Allston MA
Under the Sea and Over the Rainbow Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA,
Connectivity Attleboro Arts Museum,
Bits and Pieces Belmont Gallery of Art, Belmont MA
Here + Now Gallery 263, Cambridge MA,
Exploring the World of Fibers!, Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, Lexington MA
2021
Nourish Belmont Gallery of Art, Belmont MA, Honoring Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro MA, Art Ramble The Umbrella Arts and Environment, Concord MA, Bodies Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge MA, Emerging Artists, Fiber Art Now, The Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, TN
2020
2020 Mary Schein Fall Salon Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge MA, Artful Nature Belmont Gallery of Art, Belmont MA, Members Prize Show Cambridge Art Association, Cambridge MA
2019
Elemental, Belmont Gallery of Art, Belmont MA, 2019 Mary Schein Fall Salon, Cambridge Art Association (Spotlight Award), 2019 Juried Members Show, Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown MA
Memberships
Belmont Art Association, Cambridge Art Association, Newton Art Association, LexArt, Surface Design Association, and Inspiring Change for the Climate Crisis Artists Group (i3C)
Ceramics
1998-2000 New England Quilt Museum Shop, Lowell MA
1995-1998 The Jewish Museum Shop, New York NY
1995-1998 Society of Arts and Crafts Shop, Boston MA
