Marcia Festen
Marcia Festen builds richly layered abstract paintings on translucent Dura-Lar film, a material more commonly used in drafting and architecture. Lightweight and flexible, it allows her to build up multiple layers using inks, pigment powders, colored pencils, oil sticks, and more. Each piece develops through pouring, staining, drawing, and revising — the image emerging gradually over time. Her tools range from traditional paintbrushes to household implements to objects found in nature, resulting in surfaces built from countless layers of mark-making.
Festen spent over 30 years in leadership roles within Chicago's nonprofit and philanthropic community, including as Director of the Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development, a funder collaborative supporting capacity building for small arts and cultural organizations. She retired as Executive Director of the McDougal Family Foundation in July 2026 to dedicate herself to painting full-time.
For pricing and availability please email us at lisa@arbor3arts.com
Untitled
49×49 inches