Marsha Newby is deeply inspired by strong emotions, fleeting moments that are part of our shared human experience. Marsha seeks to illuminate feelings that are outside of words or between our thoughts. These are recognized sensations, moments of pain, joy, confusion. Dramatic figural poses and rich colours capture the silent, unexpected energy of our emotions beyond the spoken word. She paints fragmented figures within an empty colour field to create an emotional pitch that resonates with our inner emotional world.

My process begins with an imagined figure that captures a vivid energy and emotion.    I ‘see’ the painting to begin the creative process and am drawn to the truth of body language - I photograph myself to capture the emotive state. I choose images with an undercurrent of pain - outside of judgement good or bad- as themes of the human experience. The paintings are planned in detail including sketches, pose variations and researching a full colour palette - often inspired by contemporary PANTONE Fashion Palettes. I focus on creating a rich colour experience with oil paint that strongly suggests emotion. The background colour seeks to exalt the emotional pitch of the painting and create a storyline, engaging the viewer in a moment of recognized emotion.

I grew up in Burlington, Ontario and my journey as an artist launched after earning my Honors B.A. in Fine Art at the University of Guelph. I now live in Hamilton and built my backyard studio following a 30+ year career supporting youth mental health - and thinking about how people feel. I find inspiration in the private everyday moments when we are struck by an unexpected surge of emotion that resonates with our shared human condition.

My work has been exhibited recently in a number of local and regional galleries including the Art Gallery Of Hamilton. Recent show highlights feature inclusion in both national and international shows. I hope to inspire others to appreciate the unspoken emotions of the human condition that unite us.