by Arts & Entertainment Editor Stephanie Penn-Danforth
Connect With Stephanie in the Community
Getting to know Martha Wade Owner of Custom Canvas Art
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago gave Martha Antoinette Wade the
perfect inspiration to explore her creative side. Raised in an
interracial household (her mother is white and father is black) Martha
believed early on that she could do anything and it is that belief that
she draws from in her every day life. Staying true to the examples set
by her parents, (her mother is an entrepreneur and finance wiz and her
father is a notable painter and professor) Martha considers herself a
mixture of the two, "with my mind for numbers and passion to paint.
Her quest for Art never wavered nor simmered and despite having a
degree in Business (BBA) degree from the University of Michigan in 2000
things were about to make a drastic change. After 6 years of working as
a consultant for various Consulting Groups, she was craving a creative
change. Drawing since the young age of 2, Martha never abandoned her
love for drawing and painting. One night it became official... she would
learn graphic and web design and to top it off back to school she went.
Getting to know Martha Wade and her company Custom Canvas Art was such
a joy. Her story is a true testament that if you follow your heart and
your true passions, you can't lose.
Q. What is Custom Canvas Art?
A. Custom Canvas Art provides art collectors and clients with a
beautifully stretched water-resistant canvas that is durable and
affordable. The 2 member artists, my dad and myself, create original
art on canvas with oil and acrylic, produce canvas prints for sale, and
digitally paint with tablet and graphic pen. Being versatile in
multiple mediums gives us an edge in creativity and quality.?"Our
mission is to be the premiere provider of customized art, that bring
artist and audience together to create a unique aesthetic." ??That
means the Custom Canvas Art member artists work with our clients and
art collectors to give them exactly what they want. We specialize in
creating a unique look in a small business or home, when someone wants
their artwork to really add to the look and feel of the room. I love
working with other artists to create prints of their own work to admire
and share. My goal is to give collectors the best quality art.
??Remember, if you imagine it, we can create it.
Q. What type of Art do you do?
A. I started out drawing, then painting with acrylics, then oil, then
digitally with a Wacom drawing tablet and Coral Painter/ Photoshop
software. The tablet takes the art to another level, and I am able to
draw something and then scan it in and paint/draw/add photos on the
computer and print it myself on canvas!
Q. Which artists inspire you?
A. Wilfredo Lam because his style actually inspired Picasso. My dad
because he is SO talented! I really admire Kehinde Wiley for his brave
portrayal of African American men in a different way. There are many
others ... I meet them everyday on MySpace and Twitter and Facebook.
Q. What is your process for creating a piece of art?
A. If I'm doing a new painting on canvas, I like to draw out a couple
sketches in my notebook and then wait a couple days. Then I grab some
photos of my subjects for reference and start to work! When I paint
digitally, I read artist blogs, talk to online friends, look at photos
for inspiration, and work to make new digital art pieces that will
bring all of that together.
Q. How can someone place an order with you?
A. Right now I am personally working on our website, and adding an
online store. In the meantime, you can visit the website and email us
about a painting or service you must have!
Q. What are you dreams for Custom Canvas Art?
A. My dream for C.C. Art is to become THE place for artists & art
collectors to meet online. Our goal is that we have slow and steady
growth, and be known in the industry for doing great work. We want to
eventually add up to 10-20 more artists who will help provide
commissioned work for our clients. Our targets will range from the
teenager who wants a cool profile background, a family looking for a
new painting for their home, photographers looking to print their work
into canvas, and small businesses that want to purchase several
paintings in a series to create an aesthetic in their store.
Visit online at
www.customcanvasart.com
