Marti Lay

Art, Illustration, Education

Close-up of a smiling woman with short blond hair, blue eyes, and glasses resting on her head. She is indoors with a blurred background showing a room with various objects and a doorway.

About the Artist

I create paintings and illustrations in watercolor, gouache, and acrylics. I am inspired by nature, and my art includes images of animals, botanicals and landscapes. By using whimsical, loose marks and bright colors, my art focuses on expressing a child-like wonder for the natural world and highlights the energy and emotion of each scene. For me, painting is a practice of presence and a way to convey my feelings about the world’s simple beauty. Even if I’m painting an endangered species or an odd character, I hope the viewer will smile and see that in the midst of our world’s chaos and darkness, a brightness shines through all things.

Original Artworks

for sale.

A watercolor painting of a brown bison standing in a field with a cloudy sky in the background.
MY PORTFOLIO
A watercolor painting of a pear on a green background with the word 'PEARS' repeatedly written in the lower part.

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for prints and products

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Watercolor painting of a countryside landscape with trees, rolling hills, a fence, and a cloudy sky.

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MY ART BLOG

Learn about

current projects, creative inspiration, and my creative process .

BLOG
Watercolor painting of a black bird with a yellow beak perched on a branch with green leaves.
Open sketchbook with colorful paintings of two black birds perched on branches, surrounded by abstract foliage and patterns, displayed on an easel.

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INSTAGRAM
Woman with glasses and a patterned scarf smiling while holding a sketch of a dog on paper in her art studio.

Orders, Shipping, and Commissions

Triptych painting of three dogs on yellow background

Please allow at least 14 days for shipping of items overseas. Contact me for any commissions and pet portraits, or if you see a painting but would like a variant in size/color, etc. I will work with you on design and payment for commissions.