Marta Ptaszkiewicz – flautist

Marta was born in Poland, where she received a classical music education, a diploma from the National Music School and a degree in philosophy. She came to England in 2006 where she reconnected with music through daily street performances playing the flute, teaching and recitals in community centres, care homes and private functions. Art and creativity have been part of Marta’s life since childhood. Art became part of her professional path in 2014, alongside her music. These two paths feed each other.
Music and dance are great influences on Marta’s art, which is created through intuitive improvisation, following music she listens to while painting, the emotions it evokes and the painting process itself. Her musical practice allows her to experience the links between music/sound, movement and painting. Marta’s painting practice allows her to experience music in a visual way – translating sound, articulation and melody lines into colours, textures and shapes.

What has creating art meant to you over the last year?

In March last year, lockdown forced me to cease my musical street performances and recitals in community places. Painting became my sole creative focus and my sole source of income. But the art exhibitions I had planned also had to be cancelled, so my real, in person interactions with others through art and music shrank significantly.
I love practicing visual art and painting has always been a solitary process for me. Over the last year though it felt much more solitary, but it also became refuge and an outlet for difficult emotions rising from the new situation. As lockdown became a magnifying glass for world’s issues, so creating art became an inward looking mirror.