A self-taught artist, Richter first discovered the magic of scratchboard in 1974. She was so taken by the intricate detail and sharp contrast that it can achieve, that scratchboard has been her medium of choice ever since.

Born in the Netherlands, Martiena and her parents immigrated to the U.S. when she was six years old. She grew up on a farm in northwest Missouri and always had an art project going. After earning a degree in business education, she taught school for five years, then held various corporate positions until 1985, when she committed to the one continuing force in her life and started a full-time career in wildlife art.

Richter is a member of the prestigious Society of Animal Artists and travels to about ten juried art shows each year. Her growing number of self-published limited edition prints are being sold throughout the U.S. and her works have been licensed for several collector plate series as well as other products. Her engravings have received numerous awards and are included in private collections throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.