Martha Newton 

PAINTING   

Martha Newton is a painter whose practice focuses on female self-representation. Martha expresses an interest in the creation of spaces for women that provide healing and contemplation. In her painting she creates peaceful settings which are occupied by her female figures. She uses oil paints, which reflect the fluid nature of her practice and the longing for the simplicity of childhood. Her style is inspired by artists such as Salman Toor and Micca Young, with strong influences from her childhood, which was spent in Spain. Martha places her work in the context of the post-feminist movement. She maintains that as the male gaze becomes exposed through dialogue and in social interaction, the concept of a female gaze in contemporary art is on the horizon. Martha’s practice works towards the establishment of an art movement that foregrounds the female gaze. Her paintings are a window for the viewer into a colourful and ethereal world with nods to Mediterranean architecture. The environments these paintings convey are warm summer evenings, where women flourish in each other’s presence.