Martha "Marty" Henton

Marty’s experiences in art started at an early age playing in boxes, creating spaces, making art, and taking studio drawing classes at age 6 at Indiana University Extension.

Marty received a Bachelors in Art Education from Purdue University and a Masters in Education in Art from Western Kentucky. She was a graduate assistant and taught at Western Kentucky University, where she received an award as Outstanding Art Educator in Issues in Education. She served as 3rd District Chair and President of the Kentucky Art Education Association. She received the National Grand Youth Art Award from the Crayon, Watercolor Institute of America. Research from her graduate work was published in School Arts – “The Status of Art Education in Kentucky”. Marty taught at Margaret Hall Girl’s School then worked at the University of Kentucky as a Research – Artisan Educator on a federal grant funded through the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped. She gained experience in working with children with severe disabilities. This experience influenced her work at The Living Arts and Science Center, where she served for 23 years as co-director and director. She initiated educational programs that included classes and sponsored programs for at-risk children and youth and children with special needs, in the schools and the community, wrote grants, collaborated with community agencies, and oversaw the administration of LASC. She received awards from the 1st Roots and Heritage Festival Committee, YMCA – Women of Achievement, Kentucky Arts Councils Governor’s Award in the Arts for Community Arts, The Lane Report - Leadership in Education. 

After LASC she worked with Kentucky Educational Television on the Visual Art Tool Kit and served as the Arts Group Community Leader for 2020 Vision with Fayette County Public Schools. Marty now serves as a Senior Lecturer in Art Education teaching and supervising student teachers in art. She serves as a Teacher Educator on Kentucky Internship Program Committees for first-year teachers. 

In 2009 Marty designed and piloted the course – Pathways to Creativity Through the Visual Arts which is part of Arts and Creativity in the UK CORE.

Marty is a metalsmith and mixed media artist. She has exhibited in the UK Faculty Exhibit, group shows at LASC, and the Headley Whitney Bibelot competition.

One constant thread in her career is that there should be opportunities for creative and genuine art experiences that are accessible to all.