Marthalicia Matarrita bio

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New York, New York, United States
Biography Marthalicia Matarrita Born and raised in Harlem, New York City. Marthalicia has many art disciplines such as drawing, sculpting, painting and creating large murals and is always expanding in new mediums. Current area of art dialogue is based on educating the harmony between animals and humans, in many unique presentations. Marthalicia early stages: Sharng "black books" graffitti art journals as well as comic books were her past time. Encouraged by faith to persue the art form, Marthalicia entered La Guardia High School of Performance and the Arts, and upon graduating high school, she enlisted in the Army National Guard. She enrolled in S.U.N.Y. New Paltz for B.F.A. in Fine Arts. Her art resume further in her new art journey "Live Art Performance" Today, Marthalicia has broaden her art experiences to many difference avenues in art venues, and oppourtunites where she builds with her community and others.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The Out of this World LICHIBAN

Her personal Blog
http://lichiban.blogspot.com/

Her Website link:
http://lichiban.net/


Oh wow, what an honor to have met this chica. Her vision and her connection and passion surely connects her being into this world and onto another, and she uses her art to share her insights with us all. Just simply an amazing person to get to know and spend time with. Its a journey when you hear her speak. Simply amazing person to get to know. I met her indirectly at a show held down town Manhattan where other artist were also painting live, and Voodoo Ray his fundraiser event, Sybarite dancers at Highline Ballroom. From there were were both booked for other shows around the city every since 2008. She even curated a show in Brooklyn where a few of of our mutual art friends were united and have shown our art works. She is so dope and so sweet that she even asked me if I was interested in interviewing me in her blog of artist. WOW was I totally honored. She has also met my brothers who are also artist and have participated at "The Artist Process" documentary that was held at 5 Pointz.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

An inspiring artist: "JEN ONE" in her one woman show.


I met this aspiring artist at a show the a few visual and also musical artist were holding in Brooklyn, a few years back. She breaks and super aw some chica.

With your help and support, I hope to raise $3,500 to cover the minimum production costs of the Art Show - Exhibition, Printing of the Books and complete the Documentary of this exciting, but challenging journey of my first One Woman Show!
~Jen One



Click here for a more direct insight at her request: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1238055429/help-support-jen-ones-1-woman-art-show-book

Thursday, December 17, 2009

"So Fresh and So GREEN", interviewed me. Thank you Madam Toussaint !


MARTHALICIA MATARRITA ON BEING AN ARTIST IN THE MILITARY

p l a t o o n [#3] by Jesse Wright

During the holidays my attention turns to those in the military among others. And well, art, music and the environment are always on my mind so I decided to ask my former schoolmate, the incredibly passionate artist Marthalicia Matarrita, a few questions about the unique position of an artist in the military.

She is one of the founders M-Squared Art Productions; a collective grounded in the four elements of hip-hop. M-Squared integrates art and music into the party landscape of New York city with Marthalicia’s specialty in live painting. In this interview she explains how she managed to express herself in the military with her boots.


Madam Toussaint: Please state your branch or the military, your rank and your years of service.


Marthalicia Matarrita: Army National Guard, 91 Bravo Combat Medic. I enlisted on October 1999, and received my HONORABLE DISCHARGE papers on 2005, ending rank: e-4 Specialist. (6 years Active Reserve, and then 2 years inactive for emergency purposes, in case of a home war).

Were you ever in war when you were in the military?
I was called for duty while I was in college in New Paltz, on September 11, 2001 and I was mobilized at my military Unit ground, stationed in Yonkers for three weeks. 342 Forward Support Battalion.

I was activated to join another military medical team on 2004, heading to Iraq: but never left, due to change on my papers and far too many valuable medics and no reserved ones here on U.S. ground.


Were you able to produce art while in the military? Was it encouraged or discouraged?

I remember boot camp, last week of training, where all the hard core physical and mental training past, and the recovery began, I remember the sergeants grouped our platoon together, and made a pow wow on the polished floors of our barracks, as we cleaned our m16’s.

This unique talk or get to know your sergeants/ soldiers day, prompted the sergeants curiosity and he asked around the room, our real reason why we joined the military. Many I have overheard, enlisted for college tuition, as I did. Others enlisted because of the adventure. And a few were there because their parents forced them into it.

It was my turn to reveal my intent and reasoning of wearing these boots, and I told them the following:

I joined because of the G.I. Bill and the ability to help me through college.

What is your major in school?” I said “ART”. Many turned and looked at me in a confused way. ART? Doing what with that? Not a lawyer, doctor? banker? etc ART? Young girl you could have done that with out the aid of the military.


The elder sergeants started to laugh and pointed at another soldier and continued to ask around the room. I sat there looking up at him, and feeling laser then I came in. As if the importance of me joining wasn’t valued the same as those that were joining for the above degree.

I didn’t talked about my career after A.I.T (Advance Initial Training), and joined my reservist unit in Yonkers New York. I doodled here and there, but to many it was just that: doodling. We didn’t have enough time of our own or a place to make art.

TIME WAS VALUABLE even for the laid back National Guard unit that I was in. You just can’t do nothing, even if you cleaned the main floors 5 times, you have to do the same floor over and over again. It didn’t made any sense to me, but for them, a soldier not doing something productive was a useless soldier. Art was as equal to the being useless.

“FRIDA OF BROOKLYN” by Alex Bershaw

Because she’s that cool Marthalicia can dress up like legendary artist Frida Khalo in Brooklyn, NY. Check out those boots!”



Do you feel being an artist gave you a different perspective on things while you were in the military?

I am not sure how to answer that because all soldiers had different perspectives and backgrounds, but I have to add, that there was one significant thing that did separate me from the others and it was “style”. ha ha ha.

We were all given regulated military issued clothing. Upon our reservist status and the not so strict commands, I placed it upon myself to buy a new pair of military boots, but the ones I chose were restricted. (They were the green JUNGLE BOOTS that I wore while I was on Ground Zero, and the many art programs as well). I bought them anyway, and wore them at FORMATION. Since then I saw my boots as a symbol of my FREEDOM of choice the freedom of expression by using non military issue uniform into my attire. Weird but true.

Thanks so much Marthalicia. For more on Marthalicia Matarrita check out at marthaliciaart.blogspot.com

January 11, and January 14, 2010. Showing Marthalicia’s art with Lexi Bella the curator, and then a SOLO art show at Fresthetic Brooklyn. Tshirts and prints will be sold.

Marthalicia is working on a documentary about the process through which art is created through Marthalicia and her circle of artist friends.

The documentary is still in process. Part two will be announced soon for those that want to participate. Stay tuned for more on Marthalicia’s “Artist Process” documentary.

Posted: 17 Dec, 2009 |
Categories: FRESH INTERVIEW | Tags: Alex Bershaw, Frida Khalo, Jesse Wright, Marthalicia Matarrita, military | By: Madam Toussaint.
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Friday, December 11, 2009

January 14th, 2010. "SOLO art show" at Fresthetics Brooklyn


Since my first exposure to painting with a brush during the first years of 1994, and currently developing my voice and style, (what ever that style is, cuz I still don't know), until present; I was given the opportunity to share those art works with you on January 14th 2010. Currently I have so much art work, that this particular showing is a mini of the "great ones" in which I have placed my heart and energy to convey a story or an idea on canvas; they are also random in the colors, size and theme, and thus this show is called "LAYERED".

This showing is still developing until the day of the showing. I am planning on selling some M-Squared Art T-shirts, and some prints at an affordable rate. The proceeds goes to the editing of an art project/ film that I am constructing called: "The Artist Process", as well I am hoping to have a stationed TV where I can show a trailer that was created by Tasty Keish, who documented the Documentary of the lives of the artists and unity of all forms on September 20th 2009, (held at 5 Pointz, Queens New York: 5 Pointz.com) . Swing by to witness the short clip and the many people that has influenced me along my colorful yet difficult path of art. You will hear more soon as the days passes, where an official flier and more details will be reviled for you all to know. I am excited and cant wait to show and share my work with you all. I want to also give a warm and grateful shout out to Mike from Fresthetics, who presented to me this opportunity.


For more information regarding the place, please feel free to scroll down and read the address and store hours.

http://fresthetic.mvmt.com/

Store Info
STORE HOURS:
1pm – 9pm Tuesday – Sunday
By appointment on Mondays

718.782.3884

Address:
560 Grand St.
Brooklyn NY 11211

L/G train to Lorimer/Metropolitan, walk four blocks south to Grand st.
J /m train to Hewes, walk four blocks northeast to Grand st.