artist . illustrator . collaborative designer
Artist Statement
This collection of works entitled “plant on pattern on” represents a joyful, intuitive exploration of vibrant color, nature, and rhythmic patterns inspired by traditional crafts, such as embroidery and beadwork. The work centers on themes of lush houseplants and intricate geometric patterning. These pieces were born from a desire to create a visual journey of the past, present and future spaces we inhabit.
My background began in highly detailed, time-intensive canvases. However, this current body of work embraces a looser, more accessible approach. Using a vibrant blend of acrylics and watercolors on high-quality paper, I create fluid under-paintings that allow color to peek through and breathe. This additive, layered technique mirrors the natural growth of foliage, weaving organic plant forms with structured, hard-lined patterns.
Ultimately, this collection serves as a bridge between my foundation in meticulous, all-consuming paintings and my broader creative ethos. By combining my deep love for houseplants with traditional drawings and paintings, these works highlight the beauty of rhythm, repetition, and color in our surroundings, reflecting my holistic belief that art should be an accessible, therapeutic extension of daily life.
11” x 15” watercolor . acrylic .sakura gelly roll . on cold press watercolor paper . 03152026.240
11” x 15” acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 03042026.234
11” x 15” acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 03022026.233
12” x 18” . acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 03172026.235
12” x 18” . acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 02212026.231
12” x 18” . acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 03282026.236
11” x 15” . acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 03012026.232
12” x 18” . acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 04132026.239
( NFS ) 12” x 18” acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 04242026.237
12” x 18” . acrylic . watercolor . on cold press watercolor paper . 05072026.238
12.5” x 16.5” Framed . acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 2021.209
13.5” x 19.5” cut paper collage and acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 2021.211 (+ tree of life +)
17.5” x 14.5” acrylic on black acid free paper, framed . 09262023.227
17.5” x 14.5” acrylic on black acid free paper, framed . 02222024.228
11” x 15” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 02122024.241
SOLD
SOLD, acrylic on cold press watercolor paper, framed
SOLD, 2018.146
acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 09142019.170
acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 11302019.206
These digital illustrations represent my Procreate-based art practice, serving as both an expansion and an evolution of my traditional work. By "remixing" analog drawings and paintings with digital tools, I work fluidly between both mediums. I photograph, scan, or print my pieces, manipulating them back and forth until the desired outcome is achieved. This iterative process mirrors traditional collage, allowing each realm to inform the other and reveal hidden qualities I wouldn't have otherwise seen. Ultimately, these pieces feel like digital ghosts of their former analog selves.
digital illustration . april 13, 2026
digital illustration . january 12, 2025
digital illustration . november 11, 2024
digital illustration . october 31, 2024
digial illustration . october 6, 2023
digital illustration . july 11, 2022
digital illustration . banana blooms . baking in the hot hot sun . july 16, 2024
digital illustration . april 17, 2024
digital illustration . july 27, 2024
digital illustration . a floral pile up: iris, tulip, eucalyptus . october 11, 2024
digital illustration . Inspired by the vibrant Otomi embroidery (Tenango) of Mexico and the lane (lazy) stitch beadwork of Indigenous North American cultures, these drawings blur the line between textile arts and beadwork. Frequently depicting native flora and fauna, the imagery merges my own imagination with imagined artifacts, creating a visual celebration of traditional craftsmanship. november 13, 2024
digital illustration . january 18, 2024
digital illustration . january 26, 2023
digital illustration . inspired by dark dutch florals and german folk arts . august 3. 2024
The Passage of Water through the Plant
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Abstract acrylic paintings on cold press watercolor paper, created in mid 2018.
9” x 12” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 09062018.
9” x 12” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 07172018.154
Abstract landscape paintings created between mid 2018 and mid 2020. These landscape works are loose, “warm-up” paintings created in advance of painting the more detailed, tight or geometric pieces.
16.5” x 12.5” framed . acrylic . watercolor on cold press watercolor paper . 05212020.208
9” x 12” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 07152018.159 . in the collection of laura schlabs
Acrylic paintings on watercolor created in mid-2018, these patterned pieces were a result of my sketchbook drawings.
9” x 12” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 07052018.
9” x 12” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 06202018.153
9” x 12” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 06112018.156
9” x 12” acrylic on cold press watercolor paper . 06092018.158 . SOLD
alternate title + burnt out forest + . mixed media / acrylic on gallery stretched canvas . 02102013.127 . in the collection of jessica a. willison .
10” x 10” mixed media acrylic on gallery stretched canvas . 10032011.120 . in the collection of monica griffin
12” x 12” mixed media acrylic on gallery stretched canvas . 05122011.119 . in the collection of james and beth ward
24” x 48” mixed media acrylic . 10182010.115 . in the collection of melissa s. jennings
24” x 48” mixed media acrylic on gallery stretched canvas . 07142010.114 . in private collection
12” x 36” mixed media // handcut paper feather trees and acrylic on gallery stretched canvas . 05212010.113 . in the private collection of george and karen bairaktaris
24” x 48” mixed media acrylic // handcut paper trees . 03262010.112 . destroyed by fire while in the private collection of vonya drinnon .
24” x 48” mixed media acrylic on gallery stretched canvas . originally created for ETC, hung in a play called “Dollhouse” in February 2009 . currently in the private collection of tobi grey weldon . 020232010.110
24” x 24” mixed media acrylic // hand cut paper tree . commissioned by Hannah Phillips in October 2009 . 12012009.109
12” x 24” mixed media acrylic and polaroid photos . 09292009.108 . in the private collection of carl and kara cadwell .
12” x 36” mixed media acrylic . 08302009.106 . in the private collection of lang and charity martin .
24” x 48” mixed media acrylic . 07102009.105 . in the private collection of kirk walker .
36” x 36” mixed media acrylic . hand cut paper . 07162009.107 . in the private collection of patrick rolleston .
8” x 10” mixed media acrylic . 05252009.104 . in the private collection of ron johnson .
15” x 15” mixed media acrylic . 11272008.96 . in the privated collection of jon and genia hawbaker .
8” x 10” mixed media acrylic . 10302008.93 . in the privated collection of jamie mosey .
11 " x 14” mixed media acrylic . 10292009.90 . in the private collection of margaret tucker .
12” x 12” mixed media acrylic . 08142008.82 . in the private collection of annette marciel .
mixed media acrylic w polaroid photos . 07202008.78 . in the private collection of heidi vasterling .
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 08072019
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 08112019.182 . in the collection of timothy goldsmith
sakura jelly roll pen on black archival paper . 08302019.176
sakura jelly roll on cold press watercolor paper . 04042020.217
sakura jelly roll on cold press watercolor paper . 05022020.216 . in the collection of emily gorrell
sakura jelly roll on cold press watercolor paper . 04022020.215
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 04242020.218 . in the collection of emily gorrell
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 03162020.222
sakura gelly roll on black archival paper . 03192020.221
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 03282020.224
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 08262020.220
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 04212020.223
sakura jelly roll pen on black archival paper . 09062019.188
sakura jelly roll on black archival paper . 01242019.185
Causeway Connectivity Challenge Grant awarded in October 2014.
Project Leaders:
Katie Smith and Cat Collier Martinez
‘Here to There’ addresses the lack of visible crosswalks at three local public schools: Battle Academy, Orchard Knob Middle, and The Howard School located in Southside, Chattanooga, TN. The crosswalks were painted with custom designs from artist Cat Collier Martinez in collaboration with graphic designer Fernando Martinez, incorporating specific elements to represent each school, then voted on by students.
View more project images here, via the artists Flickr account.
I AM HERE :: On The Fence
A 200-foot cartographic exploration of community, connection, and place.
The Vision
I AM HERE :: On The Fence maps the intricate, interconnected networks of people and neighborhoods. Drawing together Chattanooga's rich history and its promising future, the work envisions a landscape where the commonplace deepens our shared human experience through enduring bonds.
The Concept & Evolution
Initially conceived as a painting by Cat Collier Martinez, this vision evolved into a sweeping, 200-foot illustrated banner realized through a 2010 Chattanooga Public Arts Grant. Installed along Main Street from April 2010 to April 2011, the piece functioned as a surreal, illustrated cartography of the area. Here, mountains embraced the streets, while illustrated trees and branches served as a biological grid of roadways, guiding the eye to beloved local landmarks. The artist collaborated with graphic designer Fernando Martinez to translate the original painting into a large-scale public installation.
The Narrative of Presence
The project’s title draws deeply from the raw, authentic ethos of street art. Seeking to resonate with the urban environment and its inhabitants, Martinez subverted the traditional "you are here" map. The work echoes the foundational human impulse behind early graffiti—the historic, territorial scrawl of "I was here." It serves as a visual anchor, inviting viewers to identify deeply with their community, claim their territory, and recognize their presence within the urban fabric.
The Site
Installed over a chain-link fence surrounding a gravel warehouse parking lot, the banner engaged directly with a corridor of Main Street that was poised on the brink of revitalization. The artwork acted as a temporal and spatial beacon, representing both the current state of the neighborhood and the trajectory of its future. By embracing its urban context—and inevitably inviting the anticipated addition of unauthorized street art—the installation became a living, breathing testament to the evolving story of Chattanooga.
View more images of project here via the artist’s Flickr project group page.
Collections // Experiments
gold acrylic . mural completed in january 2020 for clients vacation rental . while researching for the client i came across the inspiration for this piece . a brass and marble tile i found while perusing pinterest . i never looked for the tile source and pretty much immediately decide i’d paint it instead .
![+ plant on pattern on [landscape] +](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5be8d67131d4df821728af47/1541990466959-O386IYNM62XCZK2AF1T8/IMG_6255.JPG)
