Biography
Originally from Philadelphia, Martha Rich lived the typical, suburban life - until she followed her husband to Los Angeles where, just short of a picket fence and 2.5 children her average American life unraveled. To cope with divorce, fate lead her to an illustration class taught by the Clayton Brothers. They persuaded her to ditch the pantyhose world, quit her human resources job at Universal Studios and join the world of art. She graduated with honors from Art Center College of Design and is currently based in Pasadena obsessively painting underwear, wigs, lobsters, and Loretta Lynn. She also teaches several classes at Art College of Design. The picture is of Martha in her first job as a J.C. Penny catalog model. She's the cute blond on the left. What happened?

Press
October 2002: Communication Arts, Fresh
June 2002: Step Inside Design Feature
July 2004: Communication Arts, Illo Annual
December 2006: Graphic 10
February 2007: Candy Culture Issue 7
October 2007: Step Inside Design
American Illustration Book 21, 22, 23, 25, 26
American Illustration Website 20, 24

Speaking Engagements / Involvement
Current 2007 - 2008: ICON5 Board Member

October 2005: Judge for Society of Illustrator's Los Angeles. Editorial Illustration, Industrial Illistration, Entertainment Illustration & Fine Art

September 2005: Society of Illustrator's Los Angeles: Iconoclastic Elastic. On a panel with James Jean & Jody Hewgill

July 2005: ICON4: Illustration Conference. Moderator for discussion on Artist Agents

July 2005: ICON4: Illustration Conference. Advisory Board Member

November 2004: Judge Society of Illustrator's New York. Sequential Illustration

May 2004: Graphic Artist's Guild: ArtTalk. Moderated and put together a panel that included Illustrators; Mark Todd, Esther P. Watson, Jason Holley, Designers; Lisa Wagner, Mark Murphy and Brandy Flower, Sony Music and Mathew Cullen, Motion Theory

June 2003: ICON3: Illustration Conference. Promotion / Public Relations Committee

February 2002: AIGA Y Conference. Participated on an Illustration panel with Clayton Brothers, Joel Nakamura, Charles Glaubitz, Cathie Bleck and Rafael Lopez moderated by Mark Murphy

2002 -2004: Board Member, Los Angeles Chapter Graphic Artist's Guild. Membership Chair.