About the Artist

Marti Fast’s drawings and paintings have been described as energetic, light, full of soul and expressing the spirit of her subject. Gesture is an integral aspect of her work, where she strives to capture the energetic essence of a subject in a quick burst of creative connection between her eye and the subject, her hand and the page. Figure drawing is Marti's first love, challenging the artist to depict the magnificent design of the human body and the unique variations of each individual face and form. She also enjoys the lucent qualities of transparent watercolor, mixing direct painting with resists, textures, and the happy accidents of gestural painting.

An inspirational instructor, Marti teaches classes in figure drawing and watercolor at Allan Hancock College, where she also serves as art gallery director and educational tour escort to LA area art venues. As a gallery director, she has curated many dozens of exhibits for Allan Hancock College, the University Center Art Gallery in Halcyon, the former Santa Maria Museum Art Center, and as a freelance installation designer for numerous traveling exhibits. She frequently judges and demonstrates for area art groups.

A longtime member of the Santa Maria Arts Council, she co-chairs the yearly Grants in the Arts competition. She also served as Chair for Aquarius 2006, the Central Coast Watercolor Society's Pacific Regional Exhibition, and will again chair for 2007. She has participated in the City of Lompoc’s Mural-in-a-Day project and as an invited artist for the Central Coast Wine Classic. Marti was selected at the featured artist for the 2005 volume of Mindprints, the journal of creative writing published by the college.

Marti Fast has spent her life teaching, curating, designing, installing, and creating art in one way or another. A third-generation native Californian, she was raised and schooled on the Central Coast, and is a graduate of San Jose State University. Besides making art, she is an avid writer, kayaker, camper and bird-watcher.