Marie Straw describes her work as "Made up of layering and rough brushing in of color; reminiscent of the color poems of noted American artist Milton Avery. Straw, a mother of six, tends to focus on the theme of family. She begins her paintings with a quick wash of color followed by several layers of paint, sometimes allowing the paint to run on the canvas as a design element in the composition. Straw has also painted words on to her paintings to add a dimension of narrative and time that engages the eye, heart and mind.

In describing her creative process, Straw observes that "I start in my studio with an idea and I go with it. Sometimes the completion of a work surprises me and can lead to the next work. When the work has an aspect that is fun in it's making, and when it all comes together, I am very pleased."