Martha Ann Banyas

Martha Ann Banyas of Portland, Ore., passed away Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023 at home after an extended bout with cancer. 

She was born in Cincinnati to John and Edith Banyas and grew up in Hillsboro, Ohio. 

Art was her passion, and she graduated from Miami University in Oxford with a B.A. in art education and was offered a full scholarship to Ohio University to earn a master of arts in printmaking. After a year adventuring throughout Europe and the U.S. in a van with her first husband, the couple settled in Portland, Ore., where Martha established a home art studio and taught printmaking and metal arts at Mt. Hood and Portland Community Colleges. She immersed herself in honing her skills in enameling, with a focus on the ancient technique of cloisonné. 

In the early 1980s, Martha became interested in Balinese (Indonesia) mask carving, and received a grant to study with a Balinese master carver. This began a long and rich relationship with the Balinese people. In 1985, she established Apa Ini, a folk art and import business, and held seasonal sales of ethnographic and tribal arts and crafts, extending her travels to Turkey, Eastern Europe and Mexico, sometimes accompanied by friends, fellow artists and family. She gained a dedicated following of people who appreciated her eye for the rare, unusual and beautiful items. 

In 1983, Martha connected with an old friend, Michael Hoeye, who invited her to go to Paris on a first date. It was the beginning of a loving and enduring relationship. They married in 1994 and settled in a stone house in Oak Grove, Ore., where together they created a beautiful, light-filled art studio and transformed a large yard into a gorgeous flower and native plant garden. 

Martha continued to hone her enameling skills and became nationally recognized for her extraordinary talent and experimentation. She lectured and taught workshops throughout the country, and in 2022, was recognized by the national Enamelist Society with a Lifetime Achievement Award, their highest honor. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and exhibited extensively in the U.S. and internationally and can be viewed at www.marthabanyas.com.

Martha is survived by her husband, Michael Hoeye; sisters, Rebecca and Susan Banyas; a brother, John Banyas; four nephews; and one niece.
 
Donations in her memory can be made to Oregon Wild, ATTN: Jonathan, 5825 North Greeley Avenue, Portland, Ore. 97217 or through their website, oregonwild.org or The Enamelist Society, 1875 Old Alabama Road, Suite 1230, Roswell, Ga. 30076 or through their website, enamelistsociety.org.