Through art, Martha Clare strives to acknowledge life's trials with an intentional focus on the positives. Below are stories of how Martha implements this mindset.

Take Only Memories, Leave Behind Art.

In the autumn of 2022, Martha Clare ate dinner at a small restaurant near her weekly dance venue. Their disposable utensil covers had been poorly stamped with an image of flowers in a glass jar. Martha pulled out an art pen and proceeded to expand upon the original concept. A mere doodle in her mind, she had intended to throw it out, but her partner placed it on top of the paid bill. Realizing she had left her dance water bottle behind, Martha re-entered the restaurant minutes later to find the owner holding the doodle with a large smile on his face. That interaction inspired a passion project to gift doodles to strangers, and Martha Clare has left behind over 400 illustrations in locations across ten different states. "I hear too many negative conversations while in public, particularly of people criticizing those in service positions. I cannot prevent the bad behavior of others, nor do I believe that shaming them is the answer. Instead, I strive to bring an unexpected moment of positive interaction to those impacted. I want my art to convey to others that they are seen, appreciated, and deserving of respect.

Healing of Herons

Martha Clare's love of ornithology began with great blue herons. "The river near where I grew up was polluted for years; I was a teenager before cleanup efforts resulted in my first great blue heron encounter. My sister nearly crashed our family car in her excitement to spot it. She then taught me how to approach the heron quietly for closer observation. As adults, we both left unhealthy relationships and moved in together near where we grew up. Each night, we delighted in watching dozens of herons fly over our backyard thanks to continual restoration efforts."