Martha Bateman is a retired art educator spanning 36 years having taught in Ft. Bragg, New Hanover, Nash/Rocky Mount, and Pender County school systems. She earned her BFA in Art Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. On a day trip to Southport, NC in 2009, she met a gallery owner who would unexpectedly change her focus and her life. The owner wanted someone to make fused glass fish to sell in her gallery and so began Martha’s fused glass journey.
After a few years of making fused glass fish, crabs and other such suncatchers, she took a break from glass for awhile. Upon her return, she changed her focus to a more artistic and functional direction.
Now Martha uses varied glass fusing techniques to make plates, dishes, bowls, and coasters along with other decorative art pieces. Martha works from her home studio located in Wilmington, NC. where she lives with her husband and two golden doodles. When asked why she does fused glass? Martha always answers, “I just like to break glass.”
