Speakers
Heather Martinez
Heather Leavitt Martinez is a visual practitioner, lettering artist, and art coach living in the high mountain desert of Southwest Colorado in the US.
Her lettering journey started taking shape in 2016 when she vowed to make it a lettering year; but her work with visuals started decades before with a BA in printmaking, ceramics, and photography. As an arts advocate and facilitator, it is her mission to help cultivate the creative expressions of others. Heather is a Neuland Ambassador and has presented lettering sessions at the IFVP conferences in Austin, Texas (2015), Washington, DC (2016), and at EuViz (2018).
After studying with master sign painters, graffiti artists, and calligraphers—which she continues to do today— she decided to use her extensive knowledge in the lettering tradecraft to teach other visual practitioners how to break down lettering into its fundamental components with the tools we use. Heather believes that what we write on the wall is more than mere handwriting—letters, and the way we write them are the building blocks of communication. Get that right while executing with confidence, and visual practitioners can then focus on listening, drawing, synthesizing, and being present to provide what the group needs.
In 2014, she co-founded the Visioneers, a then 6-person team of visual practitioners near Washington, DC. As a certified scrum master, Heather used Agile methodology and values-based decision making to help manage the team. Heather is also a certified Appreciative Inquiry facilitator and uses Human-Centred Design in her personal practice and in client-facing work.
She was recently awarded a career advancement grant from Colorado Creative Industries, a state agency, and the National Endowment of the Arts. Heather has earned the SHIFT-IT® Visual Coach Certification and is currently working with local artists on professional development and arts organizations on strategic visioning. She is also supporting local and state agencies to better understand ways to support the homeless in her community.
Heather’s graphic recording work has been featured in Letter Arts Review, where she was named an Amanuensis to master calligrapher, Mike Gold—an honor for any visual practitioner and a peak career experience for me that bridged the gap between being an artist and visual practitioner.
Heather’s recent book, “Lettering Journey”, was inspired by her North American cross-country trip and will influence her next two projects in 2020: European Lettering Tour, Latin American Lettering Tour, as well as a project she is currently working on: Lettering Down Under.
Her lettering journey started taking shape in 2016 when she vowed to make it a lettering year; but her work with visuals started decades before with a BA in printmaking, ceramics, and photography. As an arts advocate and facilitator, it is her mission to help cultivate the creative expressions of others. Heather is a Neuland Ambassador and has presented lettering sessions at the IFVP conferences in Austin, Texas (2015), Washington, DC (2016), and at EuViz (2018).
After studying with master sign painters, graffiti artists, and calligraphers—which she continues to do today— she decided to use her extensive knowledge in the lettering tradecraft to teach other visual practitioners how to break down lettering into its fundamental components with the tools we use. Heather believes that what we write on the wall is more than mere handwriting—letters, and the way we write them are the building blocks of communication. Get that right while executing with confidence, and visual practitioners can then focus on listening, drawing, synthesizing, and being present to provide what the group needs.
In 2014, she co-founded the Visioneers, a then 6-person team of visual practitioners near Washington, DC. As a certified scrum master, Heather used Agile methodology and values-based decision making to help manage the team. Heather is also a certified Appreciative Inquiry facilitator and uses Human-Centred Design in her personal practice and in client-facing work.
She was recently awarded a career advancement grant from Colorado Creative Industries, a state agency, and the National Endowment of the Arts. Heather has earned the SHIFT-IT® Visual Coach Certification and is currently working with local artists on professional development and arts organizations on strategic visioning. She is also supporting local and state agencies to better understand ways to support the homeless in her community.
Heather’s graphic recording work has been featured in Letter Arts Review, where she was named an Amanuensis to master calligrapher, Mike Gold—an honor for any visual practitioner and a peak career experience for me that bridged the gap between being an artist and visual practitioner.
Heather’s recent book, “Lettering Journey”, was inspired by her North American cross-country trip and will influence her next two projects in 2020: European Lettering Tour, Latin American Lettering Tour, as well as a project she is currently working on: Lettering Down Under.
Sarah Firth
Sarah Catherine Firth is an award-winning comic artist and writer based in Melbourne. Since 2011, she has run a successful small business, offering graphic recording and facilitation, animation and event design. With the mission to help clients clarify, align, resolve, connect and communicate - through powerful visual modelling, storytelling and strategic mapping.
Sarah works across industries and sectors, with a particular interest in supporting clients navigating wicked problems, systemic change and high levels of complexity, environmental justice and social impact.
She has worked locally and internationally on projects and events with Vienna Complexity Science Hub, Google, The Rockefeller Foundation, CSIRO, The Red Cross, Conservation Zoos Victoria, Melbourne Faculty of Business & Economics, Comedy Central, Environmental Justice Australia, SIEMENS, Vienna Complexity Science Hub, Not For Profit Law, ACMI, Aboriginal Victoria, KPMG, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Planning Institute of Australia, Ernst & Young, City of Melbourne, Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, Oxfam, PLAN International and many more.
Alongside her business Sarah maintains a professional art and writing practice. Some notable achievements include receiving the Talking Difference Fellowship with the Immigration Museum, being named one of Australia’s top 25 artists by Art & Australia Magazine, winning The People’s Choice Award in the Australian Shorts section of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival, performing at the Yogyakarta Biennale in Indonesia, the Lakes International Comic Festival in the UK, and the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival.
Most recently, she was appointed deputy chair on the board of directors for the Cultural Development Network, she received a Frankie Magazine Good Stuff Award, was a finalist in the Incinerator Social Change Art Award, and her graphic essay on complexity was listed in The Conversation’s ten best literary comics in Australia.
Sarah has a new illustrated book, Badass Mums, out now with Affirm Press, along with comics in upcoming publications with Allen & Unwin, Abrams Books and Picador Australia. She is currently working on her debut graphic novel thanks to the support of the Creators Fund.
Sarah works across industries and sectors, with a particular interest in supporting clients navigating wicked problems, systemic change and high levels of complexity, environmental justice and social impact.
She has worked locally and internationally on projects and events with Vienna Complexity Science Hub, Google, The Rockefeller Foundation, CSIRO, The Red Cross, Conservation Zoos Victoria, Melbourne Faculty of Business & Economics, Comedy Central, Environmental Justice Australia, SIEMENS, Vienna Complexity Science Hub, Not For Profit Law, ACMI, Aboriginal Victoria, KPMG, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Planning Institute of Australia, Ernst & Young, City of Melbourne, Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, Oxfam, PLAN International and many more.
Alongside her business Sarah maintains a professional art and writing practice. Some notable achievements include receiving the Talking Difference Fellowship with the Immigration Museum, being named one of Australia’s top 25 artists by Art & Australia Magazine, winning The People’s Choice Award in the Australian Shorts section of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival, performing at the Yogyakarta Biennale in Indonesia, the Lakes International Comic Festival in the UK, and the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival.
Most recently, she was appointed deputy chair on the board of directors for the Cultural Development Network, she received a Frankie Magazine Good Stuff Award, was a finalist in the Incinerator Social Change Art Award, and her graphic essay on complexity was listed in The Conversation’s ten best literary comics in Australia.
Sarah has a new illustrated book, Badass Mums, out now with Affirm Press, along with comics in upcoming publications with Allen & Unwin, Abrams Books and Picador Australia. She is currently working on her debut graphic novel thanks to the support of the Creators Fund.