Featured Artist: Mrkttnr
Mrkttnr’s designs beckon her viewers into a world that is filled with the mystical. Her unifying symbol throughout each piece — or a delicate hand — is encircled by supernatural elements like crystals, celestial symbols, or even a “witch starter kit” with cauldrons and wands. Her sleek designs — offset by bright colors — have a strangely haunting quality to them.
Mrkttnr, or Marie, currently lives in her hometown in Germany, but she would also love to return to the UK where she attended school. She jokes that she is a “bit of a foodie” and loves trying new flavors. Nonetheless, traditional German meals are still some of her favorites like “Maultaschen (German version of ravioli) and Leberknoedel (meatballs with liver - sounds bad but taste amazing!)” In fact, she believes that if her artwork was edible, it would have a simple flavor with a surprise kick like “dark chocolate mixed with pop rocks.” Her work has a clean simple look, yet it has “pops of color and cute elements” for a unique and unexpected twist.
Mrkttnr admits that she can often struggle with staying motivated with art. She might go from one extreme to another; one week of endless inspiration followed by a month of feeling completely unimaginative. However, she started keeping a journal to record her ideas and she finds that it helps to motivate her during the slow periods. She is also encouraged when she sees people wearing her designs or hanging them in their homes. She shares, “to see people enjoying my work and giving it a special place in their home just gives me this massive boost of confidence.“ She especially loves when people use her designs as inspiration for a tattoo.
She admits that there are “so many visionaries out there” that it can be difficult to find just one to name as her favorite. However, she is especially indebted to the Dutch fashion designer, Iris van Herpen, because — as a fashion design student herself — Marie admires the way the designer is able to “manipulate fabrics and combine them with 3D printed elements to create abstract garments.”
Mrkttnr admits that, “I go with my guts” when it comes to her art. She may tweak elements here and there, but she never changes a piece drastically once it is “complete.” She also sees her art as an “escape from my personal life” and is “really curious to see what it” looks like in the future and how it has evolved as her life changes.
