Ballard Martz's paintings are about finding direction and navigating through life. There seem to be instructions for almost every imaginable action– twist cap, pull tab, shake well – but not for the myriad, complex choices we all must make in our daily endeavors. She is interested in the methods people use to find their path in life, be it fortunes or faith, science or chance, and employs these elements and ideas in her work. She is particularly drawn to items that provide direction, such as diagrams, dressmakers' patterns, equations, arrows, ladders and targets.
The paintings for the current exhibit, "Higher Ground", continue Martz's investigation of navigating the twists and turns of life. In particular she explores loss, the loss of a loved one, the difficulty of being the one left behind, and the search for higher ground.
The encaustic pieces are a bit of a departure and are more lighthearted and playful. She stretched and pushed herself with a medium that was new to her all the while indulging her obsession with circles and targets.
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