@martrycetheartist

Martryce Roach is…

…a self-taught visual artist from New Brunswick, NJ, who introduced her work in 2014 at The House of Art in her hometown. Martryce incorporates elements of music, education, geometric shapes, and environment to construct surrealistic art stories that speak to human experiences and relationships, particularly as they relate to African American culture.  With a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health and Africana Studies and a Master’s Degree in Social Work, the context for a lot of this artist’s work is shaped by her passion for helping people. 

In 2022, Martryce was awarded a Fellowship Grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Martryce is currently an Artist-In-Residence for ArtCrawl Harlem on Governor's Island, NY.  Every year, the artist participates in public art initiatives that transform public spaces into beautiful places where people passing by can learn about a wide array of social challenges.  Currently, a mural sized digital image of the artist’s work, “Facing the Future Together” is on view at Newark Liberty International Airport in their brand new Terminal A.  Another piece, “Solo Traveler” was recently acquired into the permanent collection of The Colored Girls Museum in Philadelphia, PA.  

Martryce’s work has been exhibited at a number of galleries and museums around the United States of America. Her work was also sold at art fundraisers, where generous portions of those proceeds benefit efforts of providing financial assistance to talented Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) underrepresented in business and medicine.

Martryce Roach creates to inspire social change.  She is an advocate and an artist.

Featured Work:

Chicago (2021) | Pastel on paper | $3,200

Having a long standing interest in The Great Migration and the evolution of blues, Chicago really touched my heart. Chicago is so rich with African American history and culture. I took time to travel around the city, exploring each unique neighborhood and visiting places that honors African American legacy and I created this pastel drawing on sanded paper to capture the energy of the city, the uniting power of culture, and the importance of history

Liberation Night (2022) | Pastel on paper | $1,200

As a part of a collection of visual stories I created about the blues, this pastel drawing was birthed. The figure is NJ House Music DJ, Kortez. The turntables, the musical instruments, the people, the elements of the city are all moving together as one under the sounds of the conductor as the vibrations break the chains of fences. Music is freeing and this is liberation night!

Facing the Future Together (2021) | Pastel on paper | $5,000

In celebration of sisterhood, I created this “feel good" piece that encourages to embrace one another and support one another - to find comfort in one another. Women are powerful, resilient, strong, courageous, limitless contributors to society. I hope to capture the restlessness and uncertainty of the world, while also portraying the reassuring, peaceful energy of a sisterly support. A digital image of this piece was licensed by Newark Liberty International Airport and is currently on display, mural-size, in their new Terminal A.