​ABOUT
photo credit: Liz Hauck
click on image for downloadable photo
Martha Bird is a Minneapolis-based interdisciplinary artist who specializes in traditional and sculptural basketry. Her education weaves into her artistic practice:
-
Board Certified Holistic RN
-
Public Health Nurse
-
Masters degree in Human Development
She exhibits her art locally, nationally and internationally.
​
Martha has been creative most of her life. A curious artist, she alternates basketry with other mediums to explore the world around her. In 1994, Martha enrolled in a basket class. She fell in love with the materials and wove her way into activity and health after a back injury, two years of prescribed bed rest, and a bout of serious depression. In presentations, Martha uses her life experience and research to highlight the health benefits of creating art and to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health issues. She has built her art career and business from the ground up and offers these services to others.
​
Martha is a proud member of the F-O-K Studios St. Paul's artist collective on the west bank of the Mississippi.
"She approaches her work with energy, rigor, enthusiasm and soul. She is prolific, smart as a whip and resilient. She is a great public speaker, a fabulous collaborator."
— Susan Hensel, Multidisciplinary Artist, Founder of Susan Hensel Gallery & Susan Hensel Design
​
“Her innate aesthetic sense and attention to detail make each a work of art.”
— Wendy DePaolis, Curator Art and Sculpture, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
​
Martha collaborated with singer/songwriter Lynn O'Brien to capture her journey in song.
photo credit: Shia Yang