Notecards · c.1996
Typed with handwritten annotations, these notecards compress the working map inside martys head: architecture-trained structure, self taught painting, room scale installation, and the FOR language tying them together. Each scan is paired here with a short description.
Marty’s first card traces his beginnings—from studying architecture at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, to self-taught painting, to coining his own graphic language. It shows how his early experiments fused architecture, philosophy, and art, culminating in his MFA where he explored ritual, mystery, and found objects.
This card captures Marty’s MFA period, when his language of symbols, diagrams, and installations emerged. He layered colors, rhythms, and references into found objects, turning even old paintings into new forms. His thesis marked the leap into installations—objects becoming immersive environments.
The third card reflects Marty’s NYC years—PS1 beginnings, personal milestones, and breakthrough exhibitions. He met influential figures like Phyllis Kind, expanded unis structures in major shows, and began combining painting and installation. These years built his visibility in both New York and Chicago.
This card documents Marty’s Virginia years—returning home yet treating even family business as art. He explored found paintings, regional arts centers, and continued installations in museums. The work expanded into outdoor and environmental pieces, marked by experimentation and the recycling of past works.