Martel was born and raised in Saskatchewan and moved to Alberta in 1991. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Art (with distinction) from the painting department of the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary, and a Master of Fine Art at the University of Calgary. She has exhibited across Canada and internationally in Germany, New York, Omaha, and Tel Aviv.
Martel has been the recipient of numerous grants and scholarships for both recognition and production of her work. Her latest project, illustrated memoir, Not in the Pink, garnered multiple international awards. She is currently a full-time faculty member in the Fine Arts Department of Grande Prairie Regional College where she teaches a combination of both traditional and new media.