Miriam Martincic
I’m a fine artist, turned graphic designer, turned illustrator. Except: I’ve always been an illustrator, I can’t stop being an artist, and design helps me understand what’s important about them both. Every shift in my journey has allowed me to integrate and see more clearly what came before.
When I became a designer, I learned to care about and solve other peoples’ problems. By stepping away from “my” projects and preferences, I gained creative freedom and perspective in my own work. I saw ways I limited myself.
As an illustrator, I constantly tap into the skills and voice of the artist. Years of being a sculptor gave me a love and understanding of volume. Years of tedious still-life drawing taught me to see. Years of life and love and heartbreak taught me to connect seeing and feeling, taught me the power of images that show not only what we see, but how we feel.
As a new—but not young—illustrator, I’m deeply grateful to be at this amazing intersection of art and design.
Miriam Martincic is an award-winning illustrator whose work integrates fine art, graphic design, and illustration. She creates emotionally-resonant, impeccably-designed editorial illustration, patterns, and lettering. Clients include Harper’s, Scientific American, and The New York Times. Miriam teaches graphic design and illustration at Iowa State University.