Painting at an early age, Teri Martin followed her passion which ultimately became her life's work. She experimented widely with various means of expression, such as dance, ceramics, and weaving, all the while painting in a wide variety of media. Teri finally found her true love in lettering and calligraphy. "I see calligraphy as one of the richest art forms," she explains, "We are not limited to any specific medium - calligraphers today are working in clay, metal, sculpture, fabric ... it combines with all forms of visual art!" Her other fascination has always been color; uniting it with her calligraphy has proven to be a harmonious match. Her sensitivity to the calligraphic line appears naturally in her painted work, with shapes and curves that dance with energy. In fact, some of Teri's compositions have been described as "explosions of color." Within this painterly process, Teri balances the flair of the freely drawnbrush stroke with the exacting precision of lettering.

Vivid color and expressive calligraphic marks define Teri's work. Her unique contemporary design style is a product of her natural artistic sensibility and her inborn feel for color. The designer in her finds joy when playing with new ideas and techniques, from large design concepts to the tiniest detail of an invented letter style.. "There is always something new," she notes, "some challenging technique to try, quotes to uncover, the unfolding variety of ideas and interpretations - it's an enormous creative outlet!"

An avid collector of quotes, Teri has an innate knack for finding the right words to fit occasions. Her customers appreciate the passages and phrases she selects. She strongly values positive thoughts in our lives, and believes that such positive thoughts invoke positive actions which lead to positive results.

Friends and colleagues describe Teri as exuberant, vivacious, and full of life, characteristics clearly visible in her work. As an artist, she also revels in her quiet time, and allows herself to reflect, explore and grow.

Teri has shown and sold her work internationally since 1992. Her work has been accepted in several premier publications, including The 23rd edition of the Speedball Textbook, Letter Arts Review and Expression Magazine. She will also be featured in an upcoming issue of Letter Arts Review: THE prestigious, international magazine for the calligraphic arts community and beyond.

Teri's work is currently licensed by Creative Imaginations, an innovative leader in the scrapbooking industry; Robert Kaufman Fabrics; Hampton Art, a leading and growing rubber stamp manufacturer; and the NY Graphic Society will release Teri's first calligraphic painting addition to their Artbeat poster collection in October. Teri also designs greeting cards for Freedom Greeting Card Company.