From the earliest days of her childhood, Marta Plizga experienced an instinctive pull toward creativity. Her fascination with visual expression was unmistakable, but for many years, that creative ember flickered quietly. It wasn't until she turned 29 that she decided to fully embrace her artistic calling and transition into a career as a professional illustrator. Since then, Marta has become an increasingly recognized name in the world of illustration and fine art, having developed a compelling body of work that includes custom portraits, brand identities, hand-painted murals, and more.
Influences from the Masters: A Fusion of Color, Form, and Feeling
Marta Plizga’s artistic identity is rooted in her profound admiration for the transformative movements of 20th-century modernism. Her creative compass has been guided by legendary figures such as Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, David Hockney, and Egon Schiele—visionaries who revolutionized the language of visual art through daring abstraction, emotive distortion, and audacious use of color.
From the introspective symbolism of Kahlo to Schiele’s raw, angular figuration, Marta draws inspiration not only from stylistic elements but also from the underlying philosophies that informed these artists’ work. “I’ve always gravitated towards the aesthetic intensity of Fauvism, the analytical fragmentation of Cubism, and the primal expressiveness of Primitivism,” Marta shares. “These styles speak to something visceral and urgent. I want my art to evoke that same pulse.”
For Marta, art is not merely an act of reproduction—it is a vehicle for emotional inquiry. Each piece she creates straddles the boundary between dream and documentation, favoring expression over realism. Her portraits, while often centered around human figures, are richly layered with symbolic abstraction and expressive linework. They serve as personal reflections of inner emotion, often revealing more about the artist than the subject.
This approach allows Marta to weave together narrative and intuition, resulting in pieces that feel emotionally resonant and visually arresting. Her use of exaggerated proportions, eclectic textures, and experimental color palettes pushes her work beyond conventional illustration and into the realm of fine art, where each composition is an immersive experience.
A Devotion to Traditional Mediums in a Digitized Age
At a time when many illustrators have shifted toward digital convenience, Marta remains loyal to the physical intimacy of traditional media. Her artwork is characterized by its tactile presence, with brushstrokes, paper grain, and layered pigments adding an unmistakable texture that digital tools often fail to emulate.
Her medium of choice ranges from soft pastels and thick-bodied acrylics to vibrant watercolors and fine-point ink pens. “There’s a kind of symbiosis between my hands and the materials,” Marta explains. “When I’m drawing or painting, I’m not just thinking—I’m feeling. The sounds, the friction, the resistance of each medium—it all feeds into the work.”
By choosing analog tools, Marta also embraces the unpredictability inherent in traditional processes. A drip of paint, a smudge of pastel, an accidental tear in the paper—these imperfections become part of the final image, adding character and authenticity. This rawness is central to her practice, as it embodies the spontaneity she values in both her art and her approach to life.
More than just a technique, Marta’s use of traditional mediums becomes an act of artistic philosophy—one that honors craft, celebrates imperfection, and rejects the sterile perfectionism of pixel-based creation. This makes her artwork feel grounded, sincere, and unmistakably human.
The Turning Point: A Yearlong Daily Portrait Challenge
In the beginning of 2023, Marta stood at a creative inflection point. Despite her growing success as an illustrator, she felt unsettled—disconnected from her style and uncertain of her artistic trajectory. Rather than succumbing to inertia, she devised a challenge that would rewire her creative mindset: drawing one portrait every day for an entire year.
The goal was not to produce masterpieces but to establish rhythm and discipline. Each portrait would be a space for exploration—a new face, a new technique, a new emotional tone. Over time, this self-imposed challenge became a vital part of Marta’s routine, grounding her on difficult days and energizing her on inspired ones.
As the weeks unfolded, her sketchbooks filled with hundreds of stylized faces—some minimal and abstract, others rich in detail and color. These daily portraits became her laboratory, where she dissected human expression, exaggerated form, and played with unconventional compositions.
“The transformation was striking,” Marta recalls. “By the end of the year, my drawings had more clarity, more structure, and a refined identity. It wasn’t just about better technique—it was about understanding who I was as an artist.”
Her consistent practice not only sharpened her technical proficiency but also gave her a clearer understanding of what themes and visuals resonated with her most. Marta emerged from the challenge with renewed confidence, a defined artistic voice, and a deeper commitment to daily creativity as a lifestyle, not just a task.
Discovering Identity Through Stylized Female Portraits
One of the most striking outcomes of Marta’s yearlong journey was her recurring choice of subject: mature women with bold personal style. These were not glamorous fashion models or carefully curated influencers—they were everyday women, often over the age of 50, who carried themselves with poise, strength, and visual flair.
Living in the UK, Marta found herself continuously inspired by the unique sartorial expressions of older women on the streets. Their vivid patterns, sculptural accessories, and fearless use of color mirrored the very aesthetic Marta had been cultivating in her work. “These women are radiant,” she says. “They’re unapologetically themselves. Drawing them feels like honoring something sacred.”
Her portraits go beyond physical likeness. Each one becomes a character study—an invitation to consider the wisdom, lived experience, and individuality etched into a person’s posture, gaze, and wardrobe choices. Marta uses unexpected color juxtapositions and stylized linework to imbue these figures with vitality, ensuring they feel both mythical and real.
Through these depictions, Marta not only explored artistic technique but also aligned her practice with themes of empowerment, self-acceptance, and non-conformity. These subjects became her muses—visual metaphors for the kind of uninhibited creative freedom she strives to embody in her own life.
From Practice to Platform: The Birth of Portrait Hub
Inspired by the growth she experienced during her portrait challenge, Marta is now channeling her creative energy into a new interactive endeavor: Portrait Hub. This emerging project is more than just a live art event—it’s a platform for human connection through rapid, expressive portraiture.
The concept is simple but powerful. Participants will be invited to sit with Marta as she sketches them live in her distinctive style. Rather than focusing on photographic realism, the portraits will highlight personality, gesture, and emotional aura. Each piece will become a moment captured in ink and color—a spontaneous celebration of individuality.
“Portrait Hub is about presence,” Marta explains. “It’s about capturing people as they are—without posing, without performance. I want them to see themselves reflected back through my artistic lens, quirks and all.”
This immersive experience will not only allow Marta to create in real-time but also foster conversations between artist and subject. It represents a natural progression in her artistic practice, blending her love for portraiture, her devotion to traditional media, and her belief in community-centered creativity.
Looking Ahead: Solo Exhibition and Artistic Expansion
As Marta continues to gain recognition, her plans for a solo exhibition are now taking shape. The forthcoming exhibition will showcase a curated selection of her favorite portraits from the challenge, displayed alongside written reflections and personal anecdotes from the individuals portrayed.
By merging visual storytelling with biographical insight, the exhibition will offer a holistic view of Marta’s journey—not just as an artist, but as a listener, observer, and chronicler of human nuance. The event will mark a significant milestone in her career, reinforcing her presence in both the illustration and fine art communities.
In addition to the exhibition, Marta is also exploring collaborations with independent fashion designers, cultural festivals, and creative wellness spaces. Her goal is to infuse art into unexpected environments—public spaces, community markets, and pop-up events—where she can engage with new audiences and democratize access to creative expression.
Celebrating Mature Women Through Fashion-Forward Portraits
In a creative landscape that often celebrates youth and perfection, Marta Plizga brings attention to a demographic rarely seen in contemporary portraiture: fashion-forward mature women. During her yearlong daily portrait challenge, Marta found herself increasingly drawn to older women whose sense of style defied expectation and redefined beauty standards. Living in the vibrant cultural environment of the UK, she frequently encountered women who embraced vivid colors, eclectic layering, and daring accessories with an air of grace and boldness. These individuals became more than muses—they became icons of authenticity in her work.
“There’s an understated strength in the way these women carry themselves,” Marta explains. “They wear their age, stories, and style choices with a confidence that’s incredibly inspiring. It’s not just about what they wear—it’s how they wear it.”
For Marta, portraying these women allowed her to explore themes of identity, aging, resilience, and individuality. Each piece became a visual narrative, far deeper than fashion illustration alone. Her stylized portraits—often created using ink, crayon, pastel, and watercolor—transcend literal representation to capture something more intimate: personality, history, and personal freedom.
These works also offered Marta an ideal canvas to experiment with color palettes, pattern design, and mixed media layering. The bold textiles, oversized sunglasses, vibrant scarves, and textured garments these women wore became integral elements of her compositions. Through this visual experimentation, Marta’s portraits began to blur the line between fine art and fashion illustration, reinforcing her status as a contemporary portrait artist with a distinct and expressive voice.
Developing Creative Discipline and Daily Artistic Rituals
Marta’s decision to take on a 365-day portrait challenge was not only a creative endeavor but a life-altering discipline. At the outset, she grappled with self-doubt and artistic stagnation—feelings not uncommon among artists navigating the pressures of modern creative work. Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, she made a conscious choice to engage in continuous practice, using portraiture as both a medium and a method for renewal.
Every single day of 2023, Marta committed herself to creating at least one portrait. This consistency reshaped her relationship with her craft. No longer was art something she did only when inspired—it became a daily ritual, a kind of meditation that connected her more deeply to herself and her subjects.
“I discovered that showing up, even when I didn’t feel creative, was the key to growth,” she notes. “The act of drawing became automatic, yet every day still brought something new.”
This disciplined approach enhanced her technical precision—helping her refine facial structure, posture dynamics, line economy, and compositional balance. Moreover, it uncovered subtle areas where she could stretch herself, such as background integration, negative space usage, and anatomical exaggeration. Over time, her portraits began to show clearer structure, deeper emotional resonance, and greater confidence in linework.
What Marta cultivated through this challenge was more than skill—it was endurance, focus, and resilience. The repetition didn’t breed monotony; it unlocked freedom. It allowed her to let go of perfectionism and embrace intuitive creation, unlocking a clearer and more consistent artistic identity.
The Road Ahead: Building a New Creative Platform with Portrait Hub
Although Marta’s year of daily drawing concluded with the end of 2023, its impact became the catalyst for an exciting new venture in 2024—Portrait Hub. This emerging project represents a bold step forward in Marta’s mission to bring meaningful portraiture to the public in real-time. It is envisioned as a mobile, live-art experience where individuals can sit for quick, expressive portraits and walk away with a one-of-a-kind piece of personal art.
Marta’s goal with Portrait Hub is to dismantle the often rigid divide between artist and subject. She wants to create a collaborative atmosphere where individuals feel seen, appreciated, and artistically captured in the moment—quirks, gestures, and all. Her portrait style, influenced by expressionism and abstraction, will allow each piece to go beyond mere physical representation and instead reveal something emotive and spontaneous.
“Portrait Hub isn’t just about art—it’s about connection,” Marta says. “It’s about seeing people as they are, celebrating individuality, and turning brief encounters into lasting memories through portraiture.”
With plans to pop up in galleries, cultural events, open-air markets, and even cafes, Portrait Hub aims to make high-quality, original art accessible and interactive. The ephemeral nature of live drawing, paired with the unpredictable dynamics of public interaction, promises to keep the project vibrant and deeply human.
Uncovering Human Stories Through Stylized Expression
One of the most compelling aspects of Marta’s portrait work is her ability to extract and amplify human emotion through minimal yet powerful visual choices. While her figures may appear stylized or distorted, they never feel impersonal. Instead, Marta uses these expressive liberties to better reflect the stories behind the faces—stories of resilience, joy, wisdom, and change.
This narrative depth is what elevates Marta’s work beyond conventional portraiture. She is not chasing photo-realism but rather evoking feeling. A deliberate tilt of the head, an exaggerated eye shape, or a textured garment becomes a symbol, a clue, a whisper of something more profound.
The connection between Marta and her subjects often continues beyond the drawing. Many who have been sketched by her express a deep emotional response to how they’re portrayed—not because of accuracy, but because of recognition. They see something essential in her interpretation, something unspoken that traditional portraits often fail to capture.
Marta’s work is, in essence, a conversation—between color and form, between artist and muse, between surface and story. Her portraits are a reminder that every face holds layers of experience, and every line drawn in ink or pastel can unlock a deeper human truth.
The Influence of Environment and Cultural Immersion
Marta's artistic development cannot be separated from the influence of her surroundings. Living in the UK has exposed her to a kaleidoscope of cultural diversity, generational fashion trends, and unfiltered street style. This rich environment acts as both a backdrop and a wellspring of creative fuel for her work.
She often finds inspiration during her walks, sketching quick gestures or making mental notes of colors and patterns worn by passersby. This real-world immersion provides authenticity to her portraits. They are not imagined archetypes—they are distilled interpretations of actual people seen in everyday life, rendered through Marta’s expressive lens.
Her process often starts with a single inspiration point—perhaps a woman at a bus stop wearing mustard yellow trousers and a teal beret. From there, Marta allows intuition to guide her. The portrait that emerges is part observation, part imagination, and entirely unique.
The urban landscape, the changing seasons, the local color of specific neighborhoods—all feed into her palette and influence the emotion of her work. Her studio, filled with sketchbooks, fabric swatches, and stacks of worn brushes, serves as both a sanctuary and a launchpad for these ideas to take form.
Traditional Techniques in a Contemporary Art World
In an era dominated by digital art and algorithm-driven exposure, Marta’s devotion to traditional techniques sets her apart. Her decision to work exclusively with physical tools—crayons, charcoal, inks, and textured papers—has not only distinguished her style but also reconnected her to the roots of craft-based creativity.
There’s a physicality to her process that digital platforms simply can’t replicate. The layering of mediums, the unpredictability of watercolor, the visceral push of charcoal across grainy paper—all these elements contribute to a sense of vitality in her finished works. They remind viewers that art is a tactile experience, not just a visual one.
Her process is slow, deliberate, and contemplative. It involves choosing the right materials for the emotional tone of each piece, experimenting with layering, and occasionally letting the work evolve in unexpected directions. This approach is not just about resisting trends—it’s about honoring the timeless value of traditional art-making in a contemporary world.
As the art world becomes increasingly fast-paced and digital-centric, Marta’s analog dedication offers a refreshing counterpoint—one that embraces imperfection, process, and patience.
Plans for a Solo Exhibition and Expanding Her Creative Reach
As the momentum from her daily portrait challenge continues to shape her creative journey, Marta Plizga is channeling that energy into what may be her most ambitious undertaking yet: her debut solo exhibition. Slated for release later this year, this event marks a defining moment in Marta’s artistic evolution, showcasing a curated selection of her most compelling portraits created during the 2023 challenge.
Each portrait chosen for the exhibition carries its own emotional weight, chronicling not only the subjects themselves but Marta’s internal metamorphosis as a portrait artist. The artworks will be accompanied by narratives—personal insights, emotional backstories, and reflections on the relationships she formed with her muses. This intimate format will offer audiences a multi-dimensional experience that combines visual impact with storytelling depth.
“My aim is to offer more than just framed illustrations on a wall,” Marta shares. “I want people to understand the emotional undercurrent of each piece—the doubt that preceded it, the intention behind it, and the connection that came from it.”
The exhibition will act as a retrospective of her transformative year—a dynamic visual timeline that celebrates not only her artistic growth but also the everyday individuals who inspired her along the way. By showcasing fashion-forward mature women through her distinctive illustrative style, Marta invites the public to rethink what beauty, character, and self-expression look like in today’s world.
Beyond the gallery walls, Marta is pursuing collaborations with avant-garde fashion designers, wellness events, boutique pop-ups, and international art fairs. Her vision is clear: to take portraiture out of the studio and into everyday spaces, dissolving the boundary between fine art and lived experience.
A Creative Philosophy Rooted in Expression, Connection, and Growth
At the heart of Marta’s work lies a powerful, evolving creative philosophy—one that places emotional honesty above aesthetic perfection and emphasizes the role of connection in the act of creation. Her portraits are not only visual representations but expressions of inner dialogue, capturing the tension between personal vulnerability and external identity.
This philosophy has deepened significantly through her year of daily practice. Rather than being driven by trends or validation, Marta creates from a place of inward inquiry. Every portrait, every color choice, every compositional decision is rooted in her commitment to authenticity and self-awareness. Her subjects, too, are chosen not for status or glamor but for the emotional resonance they offer—their wrinkles, eccentricities, and confidence becoming emblematic of lived experience.
This is not art for decoration; it is art for reflection. Marta’s creative lens invites viewers to slow down and engage with nuance. In a world inundated with fast content and polished imagery, her handmade portraits offer something rare: presence, imperfection, and emotional texture.
Marta also views growth as an inherent part of the creative process. She is constantly pushing herself beyond comfort zones, trying new media, revisiting failed sketches, and reworking compositions with renewed insight. This humility and openness are what fuel her ongoing evolution as an artist and cultural storyteller.
Curating Emotional Landscapes Through Illustrative Portraiture
Marta’s work is not defined by literal accuracy. Instead, her portraits function as emotional landscapes—interpretations of who someone is beneath the surface. She blends stylized features, abstract linework, and mixed media techniques to evoke mood, narrative, and personality. Her subjects are depicted with expressive exaggeration, their clothing and accessories often becoming extensions of their identity.
This stylized approach is intentional. Marta is less concerned with symmetry and more with rhythm. The tilt of a chin, the flamboyant angle of a hat, or the layering of patterns in a coat all become compositional tools she uses to build emotional coherence within her pieces.
Her use of color is equally purposeful. Bright, often contrasting hues infuse the work with vitality, while muted tones evoke introspection or fragility. Marta sees color as a language unto itself—one that communicates far beyond words.
For her, each portrait is a collaborative exchange. Whether drawn live or from reference, Marta makes an effort to understand her subject's demeanor, style choices, and body language before translating those cues into visual form. This empathetic process ensures that her work never feels generic but instead reveals the unique imprint of every individual she draws.
Traditional Media in a Contemporary Artistic Context
Marta’s resolute use of traditional art materials sets her apart in today’s digitally dominated creative economy. While many artists turn to tablets and software for speed and convenience, Marta chooses the slow, tactile world of ink, crayon, acrylic, graphite, and textured paper. Her studio is filled with sketchbooks, palettes, vintage brushes, and well-worn pastels—a sanctuary for physical creativity.
For her, the value lies in the unpredictability of traditional media. A brushstroke that bleeds too far, a pencil mark that can’t be erased, or the layering of translucent watercolor washes—all these elements bring a rawness and authenticity to her work. Marta embraces these imperfections, viewing them as part of the artistic narrative rather than flaws to be corrected.
This physicality also connects her more intimately with each piece. She feels the weight of the materials, hears the scratch of the pencil, smells the paper. This sensory involvement enriches the emotional connection she forms with her art.
In a time where algorithms and artificial intelligence are generating visual content at lightning speed, Marta’s commitment to handcrafted illustration is both a personal and philosophical statement: art should feel human. It should take time, leave traces, and invite reflection.
Storytelling Through Style: Fashion as Emotional Symbolism
One of the most distinctive dimensions of Marta’s portraiture is her ability to use fashion as a conduit for storytelling. The women she illustrates aren’t just models of elegance—they’re embodiments of memory, rebellion, creativity, and dignity. Each scarf, brooch, or tailored jacket in her compositions serves as a symbol of personality and life experience.
Marta’s background in textile exploration adds depth to her representation of clothing. She treats garments not as decoration but as expressive elements that carry their own narratives. Patterns may echo cultural identity; fabric textures might signify personal nostalgia or era-specific style.
Her fascination with older women stems in part from their fearless approach to dressing. Unlike younger demographics shaped by conformity and trends, the women in Marta’s portraits often possess a fluid, unapologetic sense of fashion that is entirely their own. Through these visual cues, Marta captures moments of liberation, tradition, rebellion, and comfort.
This emphasis on style elevates her work beyond simple likeness. It aligns her more with fashion illustrators who view attire as architecture of the self—frameworks through which identity is shaped, displayed, and transformed.
A Future Built on Community and Live Interaction
Marta’s growing body of work is not confined to canvas and paper. With her upcoming project Portrait Hub, she plans to take portraiture into shared public spaces, offering spontaneous, intuitive illustrations to everyday individuals. This participatory format invites people to become part of the artistic process, creating a sense of immediacy and connection that traditional exhibitions often lack.
At Portrait Hub, subjects will sit for live portraits rendered in Marta’s signature style—quick, emotive, and deeply personal. The emphasis will be on capturing essence rather than accuracy, turning brief interactions into lasting, tangible memories.
This move reflects Marta’s broader mission to decentralize art and return it to the public sphere. By offering live sketching sessions at community events, markets, and alternative spaces, she is making portraiture accessible and engaging to wider audiences who might not normally step into a gallery.
The live nature of the work also introduces new challenges and rewards. Each session is shaped by time constraints, ambient interruptions, and real-time response, which Marta believes heightens her creative instincts. The resulting illustrations become artifacts of presence—moments documented not just visually, but emotionally.
Final Thoughts:
Marta Plizga’s artistic transformation is not simply a tale of improved technical skill—it’s a deeply human story about perseverance, self-reflection, and creative rediscovery. Her yearlong commitment to drawing portraits every single day was more than an artistic experiment; it became a ritual of self-awareness, offering her a mirror through which she could examine her evolving identity, refine her visual language, and rediscover the joy that first drew her to art as a child.
In a time when many artists seek shortcuts or rely on fleeting digital trends, Marta’s dedication to traditional mediums stands as a quiet rebellion. Her use of ink, crayon, and paint, combined with her tactile, hands-on approach, reminds us that art is not just about outcome—it’s about presence. It’s about being fully engaged with the material, the subject, and the self. Through this mindful process, she’s able to connect deeply with her subjects and, perhaps more importantly, with her own voice as an artist.
What sets Marta apart is not just her technical skill but her sensitivity to the human experience. By centering her work around stylish, confident older women, she invites viewers to see beauty and elegance in places society often overlooks. Her portraits are not static depictions—they are vivid interpretations, brimming with character and energy. Each face tells a story, and Marta captures that narrative with warmth, empathy, and flair.
Her upcoming projects, including Portrait Hub and her first solo exhibition, are natural extensions of this vision. They signal her desire to create immersive, meaningful experiences—spaces where people are seen, celebrated, and preserved through art. Marta's trajectory suggests that she is not content to remain within the confines of illustration; she is moving into a role as a cultural storyteller and creative facilitator.
Ultimately, Marta Plizga's journey is a testament to what happens when discipline meets passion. By embracing vulnerability, committing to daily practice, and seeking authenticity over perfection, she has not only sharpened her skills but expanded her soul. Her story serves as a powerful reminder: when artists push beyond fear and allow their curiosity to lead, profound transformation always follows.
