Conversations with Martha Whittington

Today we’d like to introduce you to Martha Whittington.

Hi Martha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Wood has always made sense to me. The grain, the weight, the way it pushes back or suddenly gives in when you’re not expecting it. That is what I connected with first. I learned a lot of this from my brother in Clarkston, Georgia. He made primitive pre 1800 furniture with traditional tools and methods. Watching him taught me that materials have their own honesty. If you pay attention, they tell you what the form wants to be. That early way of working stayed with me, and it still shows up in my sculptures.

I teach too, and being an educator keeps me learning all the time. My students ask questions that make me rethink things I thought I already understood. That back and forth helps my work grow in ways I do not always expect.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A lot of my challenges come from the rules I set for myself in the studio and trying to let go of them. My work needs long stretches of focus, which does not always happen easily. Residencies help me slow down and stay with the work. I have spent time at Chateau Orquevaux in France, the Vermont Studio Center, Hambidge, and most recently Penland. Each place gave me community and a way back into the work when I needed it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am interested in the parts of an object that hint at a function but do not fully explain themselves. I bend wood or turn it or join pieces together, so they almost feel like tools or containers or agricultural forms, but not exactly. I like that in-between space.

This past year I worked with Ensemble Vim on an immersive installation for Babel, a commissioned work for SPARK by composer Will Kim at MOCA GA. The audience moved around inside the installation while the musicians performed. The sculpture changed as people walked through it, which is something I really enjoy.

Any big plans?
I want to travel more and attend more residencies and keep making work. I have a solo show at the McEachern Art Center in Macon at the end of 2026, and I am excited to work with their curator Johnny Cohen. Mostly I want to stay curious, make honest work, and keep learning

Pricing:

• Sandler Hudson Gallery sandlerhudson.com

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marthawhittington.com
• Instagram: martha_whittington
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@martha_whittington
• Other: https://sandlerhudson.com