Maria Martin has studied and worked in the Arts for many years. She holds a Master’s Degree in the History of Art from Queen’s University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from Carleton University. Maria has recently retired as a Manager with the federal government, and previously worked at the Canada Council for the Arts as an Art Consultant at the Council’s Art Bank, and as an Education Officer and Guide at the National Gallery of Canada.
Read what participants have said they enjoyed most about Maria’s Winter 2020 workshop series, “Selected Themes in Viewing Art at the National Gallery”:
- The information was well structured and presented and provided a useful depth and breadth of information on the various art pieces. The lecturer was interesting and engaging.
- A great approach to the National Gallery collections. Well thought out. Maria knows her subject well and is proud of the Canadian collection. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Well done!
- Maria gave a lot of insight into the artists, as well as the art. She showed me how to appreciate each artwork of different genres. She was like a wine expert who shows me why I should appreciate a different wine from what I am used to.
- Maria is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the gallery and the art. She is very friendly, welcoming, well prepared, and she has a wonderful personality (witty/humorous as an added bonus!)
- The choice if themes and background material made me discover new aspects of certain art works that I had never particularly noticed prior to the course.
- Maria is very knowledgeable and she presents with a delightful and often amusing touch. She engages the group in an easy natural way. Highly recommend this course.
- Lecturer presented material in a way that was not intimidating at all, to me as new to this subject. Any question was welcome and answered with grace and generosity. Maria is a well prepared, knowledgeable, and very pleasant lecturer.
- Maria is personable, knowledgeable, prepared and very engaging. Excellent lecture series!
- Maria Martin is very knowledgeable and is able to convey information in an amiable and enthusiastic manner. She also supports her lectures with appropriate readings (e.g. selections from A.Y. Jackson’s diary) and anecdotes. My favourite of the selected series was War and Peace, although I enjoyed them all. Absolutely love opportunities to learn more about our national collections.
- Maria is a wonderful lecturer. Very knowledgeable, but not patronizing in her sharing with the group. It was a terrific re-introduction to the Gallery for me. Going through the permanent collection, and spending time on particular pieces, resulted in them becoming “old friends” each week when I walked back through the halls. She is a smart, funny, and charming person. She would often point out a dog or cherub in a painting, which sounds funny, but in reality it encouraged us to look more closely at the works, and consider what the artists have done to highlight the piece, and how these things could be a kind of signature. She has given us information and more importantly, tools to enjoy the Gallery in a new way.
- The knowledge of the lecturer and the ability to make the series interesting with information outside of the subject matter to bring the lecturers into period context.
- The lecturer’s extensive knowledge, but also her sunny personality and way of presenting the material.
Read what participants have said they enjoyed most about Maria’s Fall 2019 workshop series, “Learning to Look at the Gallery: Navigating the Mysteries of the Art World”:
- The lecturer is a charming, and lovely person. She is very humble. It is very clear that she has a lot of knowledge about art and wants to share it with others. I like that it was at evening time instead of daytime.
- A beautiful experience with a lecturer who knows and loves Art and the Gallery and is a great communicator.
- Maria is a great lecturer. The lectures covered a diverse series of artwork which were all well-presented and described by Maria.
- I enjoyed the into the works at the National Gallery and the access to the research on the works of art and artists that the professor had done.
- I have been to the Gallery previously about 8 times, but always return to the most popular areas. This lecture took us to different sections of the Gallery as well as explained the significance of some artists I had not previously appreciated.
Read what participants have said they enjoyed most about Maria’s Spring 2019 workshop series, “Learning to Look: Navigating the Mysteries of the Art World”:
- I’ve taken the series twice and it was a wonderful experience. Look forward to the next lecture.
- Maria Martin is an excellent lecturer, she made the lectures fantastic. She is stellar. I was really pleased to have the opportunity to have these lectures at the gallery while viewing the original art works.
- The lecturer was well informed, and entertaining. She has a charming sense of humour. I learned a great deal about the collection and works that I would have never noticed previously.
- Lecturer was excellent – one could tell that she obviously enjoyed giving the lecture series. Choices of what art works to focus on were well thought out…and ensured that the interest level remained high. Loved being at the Gallery.
- Well organized, her love of the art world, size of the group, always told us what we will cover for the following week.
- Has me looking at art a bit more insightfully. Maria was knowledgeable, pleasant, and enthusiastic. Well presented.
- Learned how important it is to know about the history of the artist and the intention/thought the artist is trying to present in the work. This is especially true when viewing abstract art.
- Excellent lecturer – Maria was a fantastic teacher who has a passion for fine art.
- I enjoyed the lectures very much. Maria Martin was a pleasant and well informed guide to the Art Gallery.