“In Martha Branner’s mixed
media paintings, the focus and energy of each collage is enacted powerfully
from its center, pushing--or in some cases collapsing--out to a vibrant
scattering of colors and forms. Each piece balances engrossing color
composition with subtle abstractions and stimulating combinations of curves,
squared corners, and sometimes indefinite edges. Found items such as buttons,
rulers, matchbooks, instruction labels from cardboard boxes, postmarks, and
snippets of musical scores suggest a daily lived intimacy, an insistence on the
viewer’s imbuing the piece with her or his own personal meaning. Clippings and
images from magazines, news headlines, want ads, and articles in various
languages tell us that this art that envelopes us richly and personally is also
from the larger mind of the world. Each of these beautiful pieces is to be
meditated upon, deeply and daily enjoyed.”