Artist BIO

Martha A. Wade is an award winning visual artist from Chicago who has always carried a deep passion for art making.  Wade is deeply involved in the fine arts community as an artist, educator, gallerist, and curator. Her artwork has a dreamlike feel, where a sense of movement is created in every piece. You will often find star constellations immersed in Martha’s work, exhibiting how we are all connected to each other, and to the Universe. Her art seeks to uplift our spirits by giving a glimpse of what people can achieve at their highest potential. Her tapestry of everyday people with rustic elements of fantasy suggest that common ground exists, where everyone is empowered to fulfill their dreams. Martha has 12 years of experience in painting and art administration while running Galleryna19, and serving on the Board of the South Side Community Art Center. Martha is co-founder of the Women’s LIVE Artist Studio at Navy Pier, a public art gallery that provides opportunities to women artists.

Martha learned to create at the foot of her artist father Eugene “Eda” Wade, who she admired as a young girl longing for a canvas of her own.  Eda was among the first artists responsible for the 1960’s mural movement in Chicago.  She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Business Administration, and parlayed her degree into a successful career in Business Consulting where she learned financial modeling, and litigation consulting.  Martha excelled in Graduate School at Columbia College Chicago, where she produced television shows for their college station FrequencyTV, and went on to work as a Producer at WGN-TV.

Longing for a place to showcase her creative entrepreneurial spirit led Martha to the University of Chicago where she worked alongside a consortium of universities to manage their mentorship program.  This is where she learned to fail fast, fail often, as she watched entrepreneurs launch companies that would disrupt technology, and maybe change the world.  Each of these professional and personal experiences has shaped Martha, and increased her passion for art making.  Martha has recently found her second calling in Education, and worked as a high school Art Teacher before being promptly promoted to Access Counselor. 

During her 20 year career, Martha never stopped creating art.  In her latest series Nubiru, Martha explores the idea of the afterlife, and communicating with our ancestors who’ve come before us.  In this body of work, Martha explores the connection between nature and the universe.  The paintings draw inspiration from the Kundalini spiritual awakening, and bring to life vibrant skin tones and other worldly elements in oil, acrylic, and mixed media on wood.

Martha is a founding artist member of the Pigment International Arts Collective, and a Paint the City Artist. Martha has been blessed to find her passion in painting, and be able to pursue her professional career at the same time.  She has gone on to create over 200 paintings on wood and canvas.  Her work can be found in private homes, galleries, shops, museums and collections around the world. She carries her father's legacy with her today as an educator, and by working to bring communities together through art.

notable exhibitions + awards

• Chronicles of Venus – Women’s LIVE Artist Studio, European Cultural Centre, part of Personal Structures – Palazzo Bembo, Venice, Italy – April 2024

• Nordstrom Artist Feature – Black History Month Showcase – Nordstrom Chicago – February 2024

• SCOPE International Contemporary Art Fair – Miami Art Week, Miami Beach, FL – December 2023

• 6th Annual 12x12 Show – Elephant Room Gallery, Chicago IL – December 2023

• Silver Room Block Party – The Vibes Group Show, curated by Martha A. Wade, Connect Gallery – July 2023

• Artist In Residence – Navy Pier, Fifth Third Family Pavilion, Chicago, IL – Feb to Mar, 2023

• We’ve Been Doing It – Women’s Empowerment Show, West Town Chamber of Commerce, Chicago, IL – February 2023

• Culture – Ohio Black Fine Art Expo, KBK Foundation Group Show, Columbus, OH – October 2022

• The Best Side – Group Show, The Beverly Arts Center, Beverly, IL – September 2022

• Blaqe Gold – Group Show (curated by Martha A. Wade), Blaqe Everyday Collective, Chicago IL – June 2022

• Hidden Gems – Black History Month Artist Feature, The Goodman Theatre, Chicago IL – February 2022

• United Airlines Artist Feature – O’hare Airport United Executive Lounge, Chicago IL – February 2022

• Florecer – All Woman Group Show (curated by Martha A. Wade), Connect Gallery, Chicago IL – August 2021

• 12 x 12 Annual Holiday Exhibition – Elephant Room Gallery, Benefiting Earth’s Remedies, Chicago IL – December 2020

• We Are the Black Gold of the Sun – Solo Art Exhibition, Blanc Gallery, Chicago IL – October 2020

• Art of the City – Common Ground Benefit Exhibition, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago IL – December 2019

• Wade in the Waters of Our Ancestors – Father and Daughter Show, South Side Community Art Center, Chicago IL – July 2019

• Artist in Residence – The WNDR Museum, Chicago IL – June 2019

• The Love Affair Continues – 15 Year Anniversary Exhibit, DuSable Museum of African American History – February 2019

• Chicago Top5 – Group Exhibition, Connect Gallery, Chicago IL – July 2018

• Forty– Solo Exhibition, The Belmont, Chicago IL – April 2018

• Harlem Fine Arts Show – Riverside Church, Harlem, NY – February 2018

• Aqua Art Miami – South Beach Hotel, Miami, FL – December 2017

• American Justice | She Ain't Blind – Group Show, Steele Elliott Design, Chicago, IL – August 2017

• Farewell 44 | A Tribute to Barack Obama – NYCH Art Gallery, Group Exhibition, Chicago IL – April 2017

• Images of Inspiration & Hope – Noyes Cultural Art Center, Group Exhibition, Evanston IL – February 2017

• Spectrum Miami – Art Basel, Miami FL – December 2016

• Harlem Fine Arts Show – Life Creative, Chicago IL – December 2016

• I, Be – Group Show, Elephant Room Gallery, Chicago IL – September 2016

• Everything Must Go – Heaven Gallery, Chicago IL – October 2016

• 100 Canvases – Group Show and Art Auction, The Silver Room, Chicago IL – July 2016

• Emerging Artist Award – South Side Community Art Center, Art Auction, Art Institute Chicago – May 2016

• Music & Soul – Louis Armstrong Anniversary Exhibit - Beverly Art Center, Gallery Guichard, The Arts Bank, Chicago IL – April 2016

• Black Creativity Exhibit – The Museum of Science and Industry – February 2016

• Square Foot Art Basel Miami Redux – Projects Gallery, Miami FL – December 2015 & 2016

• Oak Park Mini Mural Project – Artist Outdoor Mural, Oak Park IL – September 2015

• Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series – Semi Finalist, Gallery Guichard, Chicago IL – November 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015

• The Native Series – Group art show and charity event, The Creative Space, Chicago IL – June 2015

• Bare Strokes IV, V, and VI – Live body painting event, LoCollective, Chicago IL - June, August, December 2015

• The Collaboration of Sexy – Collaborative Exhibition, Galleryna19, Oak Park IL, May 2015

• Harlem Fine Arts Show – Merchandise Mart, Chicago IL – November 2014 & November 2015

• Alpha Female – A Look Into the Feminine Energy by Reisha and Martha, UFAT Gallery, Chicago IL – August 2015

• K.L.E.O Community Family Life Center – 8th Annual Benefit Gala, Live painting and art auction, Chicago IL – August 2014 & 2015

• Golden Award Recipient, The Peace Project – Landmark Arts Building, Whole 9 Gallery, New York NY – December 2014

• Made of Stardust – Solo Art Exhibition, Galleryna19, Oak Park IL – September 2014

• Home is Where the Art Is – AllUsWe art collective group show, Galleryna19, Oak Park IL – June 2014

• Diaspora: The Art of Blackness – Group Art Show, NYCH Art Gallery, Chicago IL – August 2013

• Twitter Art Exhibit – International Group Show, Art Division, Los Angeles, CA – July 2013

• Bread & Circus – AllUsWe Art Collective Group Show, Definitive Selection, Chicago Il – July 2013

• Infusion Project Art Revolution – Live painting events, Beauty Bar, Chicago IL – December 2012