Artist Statement

Marti Somers takes you into her world of colorful canvases and abstract narrations as she explores the fragility of nature in contrast to modern life, the human form in balance with other living creatures, and, ultimately, the magic found in an ordinary day. Her paintings offer up hope for the observer and raise questions of deep concern. “Will Earth survive us?” she asks.

A native Californian, Somers received a BFA from the University of Hawaii. She returned to California and worked as a graphic designer and illustrator at Stanford University. She went on to build a partnership with her Stanford colleagues and opened Artefact Design, a woman owned, full service design studio during the dot-com boom in Palo Alto, California. Somers is a nationally recognized and award winning illustrator, which she believes paved the path toward her destiny as a visual artist. In 2001, she embarked on a full-time painting career and opened Studio Believe. Spanning more than 20 years, she has enjoyed representation in fine art galleries across the country.

Somers currently splits her time, with her husband Mike McCarthy, between San Carlos, California, and Austin, Texas. She continues to paint in both cities.