Special Feature: Marta Pelrine Bacon
I first met Marta on FaceBook when she joined my Plum Tree Books group. Immediately, I was stunned by the quality of her art ~ so full of whimsy and understatement, a natural sense of design and quirk. I asked her if she would draw the Plum Tree Books logo. We haven’t looked back since.
When I decided to venture into the world of children’s books, Marta was my fist choice of illustrator. I particularly love her black and white minimalist art with its defined edges, swirls and twirls and suggestions of other worlds being just beneath the surface. More of that on tomorrow’s blog. Today, I want to tell you about Marta ~ writer of modern fairy tales (I will be publishing her first novel in October), and artist extraordinaire.
Marta lives in Texas but grew up in Florida. It seems that Marta’s father might also have been a spinner of tales. He filled her head with tales about 
a witch who lived in an abandoned house under a cluster of punk trees and moss. Perhaps the drawing on the right, which I named, The Spell Tree, expresses something of Marta’s childhood. This pen and ink, which is now part of the Plum Tree Books range of exquisite greetings cards, has a Tim Burton feel about it ~ edging towards Gothic. Obviously, Marta’s childhood in Florida, inspired stories and art with sharp edges and odd twists and turns.
Marta admits to hating Florida. Hating it is part of her. She couldn’t give it up. If she did, she wouldn’t be Marta anymore. It’d be like asking her to give up coffee.
When Marta is in Florida, she feels as though death is stalking her.
She left home at 17 to study English and writing in Indiana and gained a Master’s Degree from Kent State University. To see something of the rest of the world, she joined the Peace Corps and taught English in Bulgaria for two years. But one way or another, she always created art and wrote.
Marta writes because stories well up inside her and if she didn’t let them out, she would go mad.
Marta literally cuts up her novels and uses them in her pictures. This was one of the fascinating things that initially drew me so strongly to Marta’s art. After all, as writers, we are always trying to slice up sentences, rearrange words so as to deconstruct language, to make it go beyond itself, say something a different way, burst out of its limits and express the soul of the thing that is underlying.
Marta’s work has been shown three times at Genuine Joe’s Coffee House in Austin and in Art City Austin. Her work has appeared in Onomatopoeia Magazine and been featured over at 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast. NPR’s series “In Character” selected a short piece on her love of Dorothy Gale and a fairy tale appeared in the May 2011 issue of Scheherezade’s Bequest. Marta has also been featured in all of Plum Tree Books anthologies, in particular, she donated a piece of art for the SOS Sahel campaign.
She is now illustrating my Pa Dug & Rosie in The Garden Series, which I will say more about tomorrow!
Marta creates art and writes stories in a cluttered corner of her living room late at night while her family sleeps. She believes that art can be made anywhere and is always encouraging others to go ahead and create it.
Recently, Marta has been battling the thing many of us fear the most. She has undergone a double mastectomy and is in the throes of chemotherapy. We wish you a speedy recovery Marta, and we thank you for the gift of your exquisite art and soul.
Greetings cards and books available from www.plumtreebooks.co.uk
Marta’s Blog: http://mapelba.wordpress.com
Marta on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/marta.pelrinebacon
About Niamh Clune Plum Tree Books
A nice bio about a fine talent from the looks of it. i love the black-and-white here and the book cover is a stunner.
LikeLike
Many thanks, Jamie.
LikeLike
I dig The Spell Tree illustration, :)
and a prayer has just gone up for
the return of Marta’s good health.
Peace and luvz, Keith
LikeLike
Many thanks Keith…and many thanks for your prayers for Marta to be over her ordeal soon.
LikeLike
Thank you for the write up and all your support, Niamh. You’ve changed my life.
LikeLike
Many thanks for your kind words, Marta. Let’s see if we can make this wonderful thing a success!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on writing in the water and commented:
My publisher wrote about my work and the path that brought me here. Comment, share, whatever might help us make our work a success.
LikeLike
Pingback: Special Feature: Marta Pelrine Bacon | West Coast Review
Many thanks for the reblog! She is brilliant!
LikeLike
This is great. xoxoxo to Marta and Niamh!
LikeLike
Many thanks Juliette!
LikeLike
What a whimsical, talented artist Marta is. I can’t wait to read her fairy tales.
LikeLike
What an inspiring author/artist. Never heard of someone cutting up their written stories and putting them into pictures. If you’re an artist, she must see everything visually.
Wish Marta a healthy recover. My husband’s daughter had a double mastectomy 7 yrs ago at age 42. She’s done very well with no reappearance. Sending Marta light and love.
LikeLike
Before I knew it was Marta who did the Plum Tree Books art designs, I fell in love with their magical curves and whimsical imagery. Her writing contains a mystery as does her art. The Gothic influence coming from inside of her, was it her being influenced or was it her being the original. I think and feel the latter. She attempts lightness though her life feels definitely at present to be going through a heaviness and a battle I feel strongly that she has the fight in her with surrender not an acceptable term. She is the real thing. The artist who lives amongst us and she has a great deal more to create. Through whimsey and mystery, Gothic and magic may Marta find her way through the healing and pain to return to a better and happier place to find those nights sitting on the floor to create her art and to write her dreams. Here’s to your recovery and bravery Marta. With Love and Courage you will make it to that day when the future will become now and the now will become the past. I look forward to the day and time for you. Loving You Fondly Marta, Jennifer ps. Niamh, this is a wonderful post that you have devoted to Marta. I learned a great deal and feel even more impressed than I was already. It was a generous tribute and encouragement to heal so that the creating can continue in a more pleasant and physically healed place. Great Inspiration for you Marta.
LikeLike
Many thanks for your great comment, Jennifer. I am certain that Marta will be delighted with it.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on the secret keeper and commented:
This post is about a very talented artist and writer who is going through a trial in her life that is taking a great deal of courage and strength to battle. Please return to the origin of this post and read what Niamh Clune has written about this marvelously gifted and talented person. Find out what you are missing and what you will find. Jk the secret keeper
LikeLike
Many thanks Jennifer for the reblog!
LikeLike
Marta’s work is delightful. I wish her a speedy recovery and am sending much love and positive thoughts.
LikeLike
What a great story! I liked learning about your illustrator! :D
LikeLike
Love the lines “…Marta creates art and writes stories in a cluttered corner of her living room late at night while her family sleeps. She believes that art can be made anywhere …” if an artist wants to, there is little excuse to not follow through on your dreams (I say as I’m sitting, typing at the kitchen table, while my family sleeps – before they all get up and take all the lap tops, and steal all the wi-fi juice…and the table space :)” Inspiring to me that she also has a cluttered corner that is her office…
LikeLike
Thank you, Michele. Marta will be delighted with your comments.
LikeLike
I can’t thank everyone enough for their kindness and support. I’m overwhelmed.
LikeLike
I find it difficult to narrow down which of Marta’s work I like best. It is just so magnificent; all of it. I will share. A very talented lady. Thank you Niamh.
LikeLike