At Marti, we dream of seeing local art and design in everybody’s home.
This is why we are dedicated to creating new ways to find, follow, connect and buy from local artists.
We do this with a few visions in mind:
1 - In person is better. You need to see / feel / smell original art & design in real life to decide if it is your perfect piece. Artists can promote events, open their studio or allow you to get in touch with them directly through Marti.
2 - The artists story matters. Connection with the artist, understanding the making process and the unique thoughts behind it makes pieces even more special
3 - Original art and design can be affordable. A fair price for original artwork is very important, often makers put many hours into making this object special. However, buying from emerging, unrepresented artist makes prices very different to those in galleries. Marti is the place where you find those artist and get to contact them directly. On top of that we are committed to finding different kinds of funding models to make art affordable for you, and a real source of income for artists.
Marti exists to make discovering and following artist in your city easier: to create a place where you can find the people who make incredible things, follow their work closely, find out how to connect with theme and bring truly unique, handmade objects into your life.
We’re here to celebrate originality, craft, and the people who dedicate their time to making something real.
Our story
Hi, I’m Lisa, founder of Marti.
In 2021, I bought my first piece of original art as a gift for Marti co-founder and my husband, Nick. I bought it from an ex-colleague who had since become a successful artist (shout-out to Brian). It was one of Brian’s older works he had lying around, the work was nothing special to him, so he was happy to sell it for the amount I could afford at the time.
To us, it became something entirely different.
We still cherish that piece. It captures Brian’s eye and skill so clearly, and it reminds us not just of him as an artist, but of a moment in our lives.
Since then, we’ve collected more handmade, original, and local pieces, from Voddemanen, to a De Parel scarf, and even my custom Studio Selles wedding dress. Each one carries a story. Each one means something, much more than any store-bought object could be.
Along the way, I learned how joyful it is to know the people who make your objects, not only the story but also the craft and process behind what you buy.
And there are so many people making incredible things — the real challenge is finding them.
-That is why we started Marti.
