About
Hello! My name is Heather Martin and I am a conservation artist and photographer, and a permaculture gardener. I live with my best friend and husband, Tyler, and our dog Benji, in Melbourne, Florida.
I love taking all sorts of photos, from action sports to the occasional portraits, but I have always been really drawn to the natural world. There is so much to observe even in your own backyard! Birds, fungi, plants, insects and more can all be seen right outside the door if you know what you’re looking for. And while I satisfy my urge to create beautiful images, I can be a citizen scientist too with projects like eBird and iNaturalist.
Tyler and I also started a food forest and permaculture garden on our property in 2020. It has been one of the most fulfilling pursuits, and we intend to become full time regenerative farmers one day. For now, we are growing as much as we can and learning a lot along the way. Plus, planting a forest brings nature to me, giving me ample opportunity for unique artistic inspiration.
I will be adding a lot of informational garden content, birding tips, and various record keeping data to my website soon, so stay tuned!
A large goal of my growing business is to donate portions of the sales from my mostly nature-themed art and photography to various environmental and science-based research organizations. Fine art prints, originals paintings, and other products are available for purchase.
I grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida, surrounded by family with all sorts of hobbies and passions.
My chemist father loves swimming, running, and adventuring; he also grows shitake mushrooms on oak logs, makes glass art for fun, and enjoys electrical and mechanical work when the need (or want) arises. My grandfather was a chemist, botanist, plant collector, and intense pianist; a sort of mad scientist with a passion for life, especially chocolate. My Nicaraguan grandmother has always been the embodiment of the magical and whimsical: her love of nature, animals, and art resulting in an imaginative childhood for my brother and I. My aunt is a wonderful human, artist, thinker, and creator; she is the best role-model of someone pursuing their dreams and succeeding.
My mother, who has appreciated music and art her whole life, made sure I was exposed to piano and art early on. She loves her family and is passionate about family history and our largely Irish ancestry. My other grandfather, who was a retired mechanical engineer, was a hobbyist photographer, and was similarly detailed-oriented as myself. My other grandmother is the kindest person you’d ever meet, thoughtful and caring about the lives of each of her children and grandchildren.
Together, my brother and I lived a childhood roaming around our paternal grandparents’ jungle, throwing sea-grapes at each other from our maternal grandparents’ tree, or other such activities, and often covered in mosquito bites. Seeing so many family members have such passion for life certainly influenced us in myriad ways. My brother is pursuing his love of technical, hands-on mechanical work, and I my love of nature and art.
I attended the University of Florida (as did both my grandfathers) and obtained my bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. Growing up, I always loved math. Engineering in space and aircraft applications seemed like an awesome way to apply it. I learned a lot, met some of my best friends, and worked a few internships before landing a full-time job in Melbourne, Florida. Although, at first, I did more mechanical work, I slowly transitioned over to doing web development and software. Coding, especially for tools or web applications, allows for creativity. I could get immediate results from my work, which allows for quickly making continual, incremental progress on a project and constantly improving. That way of thinking alone is critical to the success of any pursuit in life.
Corporate engineering is secure. Part of the reason I started down that path was for the security and stability of such a job. Understandably, my family was happy and proud of my accomplishments. It gave them peace of mind knowing I would have a good job and be financially secure. So, I did it. I got the degree. I got the job. I paid off my student loans and saved my money. I certainly learned a lot and met so many brilliant and wonderful people. Yet, something was missing. I felt tired all the time and as if I didn’t have enough time to do the things I really wanted to do. I was not satisfied.
I firmly believe it is possible to do the things you want to do and make a career out of it. It might not happen right away, and you might have to go through sections of life doing other things to make it happen. But it can happen. Engineering gave me skills and knowledge that I will always have. I can continue to design or code on my own and for my own projects. But most of all, it gave me the ability to take a risk and pursue all that I really want out of my life. So, I left my job in July of 2020 to pursue my passions and turn my hobbies into a career.
Finally, I have discovered a slight hint at the direction I want my life to take. I will take photos, make art, and make sure the planet benefits too.
And with me through it all is Tyler, my partner in life, business and adventure, and my favorite photography subject. The moments we spend discussing life and dreams, the times we spend actualizing those dreams, and the days we simply sit peacefully in our garden make me happy to no end.
I just hope to share my view of the world with others, and do some good along the way.
In loving memory of both of my grandfathers
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