Martha Varcoe Sturdy was never one to follow the rules.
At 83 years old, Sturdy and her resin, brass, and wooden sculptures have been recognized the world over — from being featured in Vogue magazine, to being inducted into the Royal Academy of Arts — and now, she’s been appointed to the Order of B.C.: the province’s highest honour.
“I love making things. I let my mind free to think — and then I just do,” Sturdy told CityNews.
“On one hand, it is not deserved, because I’m just another person who makes things. I’m lucky and, also, I am 83. So, I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve experienced a lot of things, and I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve taught myself. And I never quit. Those are my rules.”
Sturdy’s art has taken her to New York, Milan, Paris and Southeast Asia. Her work can be found in galleries around the world, but she always finds herself anchored at home in Vancouver.
“I love the way it is here, and you see it’s not quite dry,” said Sturdy, touring her next piece, using large pieces of bright green resin and salvaged, burnt wood from Pemberton.
“I want to influence anybody who is thinking or listening how beautiful this world is, especially in Canada and how fortunate we are to have this world… The forest burns; that is the reality. And we in British Columbia know about forest fires — and it’s a very serious, sad thing. But from all of that comes the green leaf — the little green leaf that just starts to grow.”
For the next generation of artists, she leaves this message:
“What you’ve got to do with life — it is your gift. And you must take it and fill it as full as you can. If you have the joy of the adventure of life, then you’ve won.”
Sturdy is one of 15 British Columbians being recognized this year for distinction and dedication to their field.