Martha Ferguson: "Beyond the Crowds" at The Lightner Museum

Working in an impressionistic style, Ferguson’s plein air paintings become studies for her larger paintings completed in her studio. Through her paintings Ferguson strives to highlight areas of St. Augustine that are less trafficked by tourists, these are the areas that make St. Augustine so special.

“My inspiration comes from the familiar subjects that surround me. I love to paint the scenes of old, gritty towns, capturing the feel of the area and the locals that walk through the quaint streets. I am often drawn to architecture and the way the light comes through the subject. I want my paintings to be more than a likeness, but an experience or a nostalgic feel. I can walk by the same scene many times and then all of a sudden there is a moment that tells a story. That is what I seek to capture.”

Martha G. Ferguson is an oil painter with a Bachelors in Fine Art from Flagler College. Martha studied watercolor and printmaking at the University of Charleston, and continues her studies at The Art Students League of New York. During her time as a student at Flagler College, Martha was greatly influenced by plein air painter Emmett Fritz, who she often encountered while he was painting the streets of St. Augustine. Martha participates in plein air paint outs and juried art shows around the country and has won many awards for her paintings, both locally and nationally.

The exhibition will be on display in the museum’s East Room Gallery above the historic swimming pool.

Created to showcase the extraordinary talents of artists who live in the Northeast and Central Florida regions, Lightner Local is supported by the Benjamin and Jean Troemel Arts Foundation.