Kelda Martensen

Courses

• Fall 2024
• Winter 2025

Personal Statement

Kelda Martensen is tenured faculty in the art department at North Seattle College. A visual artist known for her work in printmaking, collage, book arts and murals, she has been teaching in classrooms since 2003, and at North since 2012. Her awards include the Bell Cramer Award in Printmaking, Sustainable Arts Foundation, the Conceptual Visionary Award from Pratt Fine Art Center, the Larry Sommers Fellowship Award, and the Graduate Book Art Award for the Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Studio for the Illustrated Book. Her teaching awards include the Dan Evans Innovation in Teaching Award, the John and Suanne Roueche Excellence Award and Association of Women Faculty Graduate Award. Course work, grants, projects and residencies have taken her to Ireland, South Africa, Japan, France, Germany and Spain. She was an Artist-in-Residence at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France in 2011, Pratt Fine Art Center in Seattle in 2016, Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture in 2021, In Cahoots Residency in 2022 and AADK Centro Negra Spain in 2023. Her prints and artist books are in private and public collections including the Benaroya Family, City of Tacoma, King County Public Art Collection, Google Corporate offices, Special Collections Library at Washington University in St. Louis, Southern Graphics Council International Archive, Bokartas Contemporary Art Center, Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Studio for the Illustrated Book, University of Missouri and Willamette University. She is represented by J. Rinehart Gallery in Seattle, WA.

At North Seattle College, Martensen teaches Book Arts, Drawing, Printmaking, Art Business and Mural Art. Martensen earned a BA in Studio Art from Willamette University and an MFA from Washington University in St. Louis. Martensen is honored to work with the students at North Seattle College, and strives to make the classroom a safe space of creative and intellectual growth.