Artist and gallerist Mary Martin is my wildly talented guest on today’s show. As both an acrylic collage artist and owner of Green Door Art Gallery in Saint Louis, Mary shares a wealth of knowledge and wisdom during our delightful interview. You’ll hear about her surprising journey from a childhood steeped in creativity through her initial career as a respected physical therapist to a return to her passion and work as an artist, then gallery owner. You’ll enjoy learning about the highlights and challenges she has faced in her artistic career, the driving force behind her life and work, and her success secrets for following your own passions and dreams.
Click the Play button now and join us for a truly inspiring, engaging interview.
The Backstory
My husband and I are avid art lovers who have lived in Saint Louis for the past eight years. During that period, I cannot remember NOT knowing about Green Door Art Gallery, as this wonderful gallery was one of the first that we visited after moving here. And oddly enough, I cannot remember a time when Mary Martin wasn’t at the helm welcoming artists and patrons alike with her big heart, beautiful smile, and incredible generosity of spirit. With masterfully curated artwork in a space that evokes serenity and peace, Mary has created an enchanting gallery that you want to visit again and again.
That said, you can only imagine how high Mary Martin would be on my list of dream guests for the show. In fact, she was one of the creative forces who inspired the creation of Tiny Sparks, Big Flames. No way did I have the courage to reach out to her until I had completed a full season of the show. (Truth be told, I first needed to prove to myself that I could follow through on my own vision and dreams.) With Season 1 accomplished, my next step was reaching out to Mary. After a brief phone conversation, we met over coffee and macarons at a lovely sidewalk cafe in Webster Groves, the home of Mary’s gallery. Much to my delight, she said “Yes!” to the podcast and happily the rest is history.
The Interview
You are in for a treat with this lovely interview. During our brief time together, Mary shares a lifetime of experience and offers practical, sound advice for creatives and dreamers alike. You’re going to love hearing about the highlights and challenges of her fascinating journey, the importance of understanding the business side of any successful creative endeavor, and her secrets for following a passion or dream.
You will also get the inside scoop on the inspiration behind Mary’s work as an artist, the role that faith plays in her beautiful art and life, and her incredible advice for artists who dream of showing their work in galleries. Then, hold on tight, world—Mary previews her remarkable plans for the next five years. You don’t want to miss this intriguing part of the interview.
Fun Facts
- Her love of art began as a child with everything from twirl-o-paints + spirographs to pottery + sewing to crayons + paper to needlework, fabric + textiles
- Her first career was as in the healing arts as a physical therapist
- Is “inspired by the beauty of seasonal changes in the landscape and moment-to-moment variations in the sea and sky”
- Is a “foodie” who loves exploring indie restaurants
- Loves music, theater, and nature hikes
Cool Links
A Glimpse of Mary’s Art on Fine Art America
Green Door’s Beautiful Website
A Window into Green Door on Facebook
Get to Know the Gallery on Instagram
Quotes by Mary Martin
“One of the things I really enjoy about [Green Door] is just seeing the joy of other artists when their work sells. So, it’s as much of a high to sell somebody else’s work as it is to sell my own.”
“What has really been beneficial for me is not trying to reinvent the wheel and figure it all out myself. I have studied with a lot of different art coaches, so that would be one thing I would really recommend for people to do is get out there and find a coach that resonates with you.”
“One of the things people don’t really realize when they’re just out there being creative and trying to decide they’re going do this is you really need to spend at least as much time on the business side of your art business as you do in creating the art.”
“The artist community in Saint Louis is really fabulous, and I think in certain pockets really close-knit…. I have seen more people supporting each other than competing, which is really a cool thing.”
“The way that faith plays into my artwork is I feel like I’m a peacemaker, and I like to use those themes of peace and connection that I get from my own faith.”
“Make time for [exploration]. If it’s something that you’re passionate about, if you’ll make time for it, even if it’s just little blocks of time…, just keep moving forward.”
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Mary Martin is as genuine of human being as we have in this world. Mary is as beautifully creative and thoughtful artist, physical therapist, and friend as anyone could have. Thank you for a refreshingly inspirational conversation to listen to this morning.
You’re so right! Mary Martin is such a beautiful, creative, thoughtful artist and human being. So happy you enjoyed the interview.