Marti, Manuel

Statement: Cuban born Manuel (Manny) Marti studied architecture at the National University in Mexico City where he graduated with a B.A. in Architecture, and an M.A. in Pre-Hispanic Art and Archeology.  He did not specifically study art in school, but for his architecture degrees was required to take several drawing and painting courses.  Manny was a practicing architect for well over forty years.

Biography: Manny spent most of his US adult years in Wisconsin and Arizona before moving to Tennessee.  After retiring, Manny and his wife visited the Crossville area, liked what the area offered, and finally settled in Fairfield Glade.  The FFG Art Center was the determining factor in their decision.

His interest in art began as a child.  Manny started painting in oils, moved on to acrylics, but in 1980 started working in stained glass, now his favorite medium.

Manny’s affinity and expertise with glass led to commissioned decorative art pieces now displayed throughout Arizona, Nebraska, Georgia, Illinois, and Tennessee.  The large pieces of glass he used for his commissioned pieces left him with many smaller glass pieces, perfect for creating small mosaic decorative elements.  Glass mosaics are now Manny’s main creative focus with a partiality toward Expressionism and Cubism. 

In Manny’s spare time he has developed a love for hiking, a love of wildlife, and an enthusiasm for extensive traveling.