ABOUT Maria Montes
Catalan-Australian letter designer living between Naarm/Melbourne & Barcelona.
My creative practice is set by the principles of never stop learning, sharing knowledge and create emotion through my work.
Do’s & Dont’s
- Premium branding assets including custom type, logo design, monograms, brand marks, lettering, illustration, patterning and packaging design.
- Custom calligraphy and lettering artworks.
- Public speaking engagements at design conferences, in-house agencies, type design programs and universities; RMIT University mentor.
- In-person and online
calligraphy courses; Corporate workshops, as well as private 1-on-1 calligraphy and lettering coaching services.
- For over ten years, I’m the author and editor of a monthly email newsletter announcing calligraphy courses, community events, type related matter and other topics which often include creative mental health and fostering women in the design and type industries.
- Since 2025, author of an educational platform called Writing Calligraphy. This project is the culmination of many years of hands-on calligraphy practice and study. It has been created with the intention of educating and bringing a contemporary light to calligraphy and its close relationship to its younger cousin, typography—two elements that have always been present in my career since 2011.
- I don’t do wedding calligraphy or wedding stationery.
Values
High quality work, communication, collaboration, transparency, respect & trust.
Proud member of Alphabettes, Letterform Archive, Society of Scribes NYC, Typism and YesEqual. Supporter of First Things First 2020 manifesto and What I have to offer is me. What you have to offer is you by Charlie Kaufman.
I pay rent to the following organisations: Djirra, Seed Mob and Deadly Connections.
Awards
2025. Communication Arts (CA) Magazine | Type Design Finalist
2025. Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) | Type Design Finalist
2024. Communication Arts (CA) Magazine | Typography Winner
2024. Type Directors Club NYC | Typography Winner
Clients
Brand Design Studios
Ama Foundry (NL)
Brand Lounge (UAE)
Inaria Luxury Brand Design (UK)
McCANN Agency (AU)
Pentagram (US)
Porto Rocha (US)
Windsorborn (AU)
Luxury Clients
La Porte Space (AU)
L’oscar Hotel London (UK)
Makarem Luxury Hotels (UAE)
Marcs (AU), Montblanc (AU)
One Moon (US)
One Spa World (UK)
Rob Repport (AU)
Sitara Himalaya (IN)
The Calligraphy Co (AU)
Art & CulturAL ORGANISATIONS
Art Centre La Panera (ES)
Art Centre Tinglado 2 (ES)
Biennale of Sydney (AU)
Black Inc. Books (AU)
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK & US)
Design Feast (US)
Hardie Grant Publishing (AU)
Hodder & Stoughton Publishing (UK)
Itinerarios de Caligrafía, ICKI (ES)
Packaging Design
Charlie’s Fine Food Co. (AU)
Goodness Group (AU)
Nexba (AU)
Whistle Post (AU)
Fashion Labels
Chorus (AU)
Country Road (AU)
Dreamfable (CH)
Esprit (AU)
Hew Clothing (AU)
Mango (ES)
Massimo Dutti (ES)
Megan Park (AU)
Scarlet Jones (AU)
Target (AU)
Zara (ES)
Music & Merch
Sony Music Entertainment (JP)
Nina Utashiro (JP)
Simone Keane (AU)
Educational Institutions (A-M)
ATypI Paris (FR)
Branding Master’s Program Elisava (ES)
Billy Blue College (AU)
Carnegie Library (AU)
Como House & Labassa Mansion (AU)
Darebin Library (AU)
Griffith University (AU)
Hume City Council Libraries (AU)
Intentional Digital Agency (AU)
L’Escola d’Art i Disseny de Tortosa (ES)
Melbourne Columba College (AU)
Melbourne M-Pavilion (AU)
Monash University (AU)
Moose Toys (AU)
Educational Institutions (M-Z)
Practica Program (US)
Rippon Lea House & Gardens (AU)
Shillington College (AU)
Stonnington Library (AU)
The Design Conference Brisbane (AU)
Tipo-g Typographic School Barcelona (ES)
Towson University (US)
Typism Conference (AU)
Tylabs, Typographics (US)
University of Melbourne (AU)
University of Newcastle (AU)
University of Sunshine Coast (AU)
Western Sydney University (AU)
Yarra City Council Libraries (AU)
Graphic & Type Design Presentations
2026. “Calligraphy Mechanics” Latin 2, Practica Program, US.
2026. «Más allá de la caligrafía: Aprendiendo a mirar» ICKI Navarra, Spain.
2025. “Type Design Education x Graphic Designers” Towson University, Baltimore.
2025. “Type Design Education x Graphic Designers” Re-Design Agency, Melbourne.
2025. “Type Design Education x Graphic Designers” Frost Collective, Sydney.
2025. “Type Design Education x Graphic Designers” TypeLabs Asia, Typographics.
2025. «Aprenent a mirar», Escola Pau Gargallo, Barcelona.
2025. «Formación en diseño de tipos x diseñadores gráficos», Contraforma Barcelona.
2024. “Principles of Script Lettering” Typism Summit 2024.
2023. “Latin One | Calligraphy Mechanics” Practica Program.
2023. “Thriving as an immigrant artist” Podcast interview with Martina Flor.
2023. “9 parameters to understand, curate & design script alphabets” Typelabs Europe.
2022. “Type Design Education for Graphic Designers” Type@Copper NYC.
2021. “Finding Your Inner Compass” ATypI All Over.
2021. “Learning & Teaching” Podcast interview with Martina Flor.
2021. “Three outcomes to Script Brush Lettering” Typelabs Asia, Typographics.
2021. Guest Lecturer at Monash University, Type Design Department.
2021. Guest Lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Type Design Department.
2021. Guest Lecturer at the LCI Melbourne, Art and Design Academy.
2021. “Finding Your Inner Compass” Typism Podcast Interview, Australia.
2021. TypeLabs Asia Channel, Typographics.
2021. “Ten Years in Ten Minutes” Intentional 10th Anniversary Event.
2020. Alphacrit with Isabel Urbina Peña and hosted by the Nicole Dotin.
2020. Podcast Interview with Ema Hewitt from HEW.
2019. Live Streaming Interview at Adobe France.
2019. “Love for Letterforms” Type@Paris Talks, France.
2018. “The Use of Language as Cultural Identity” TDCBNE Conference, Australia.
2018. “What a Shitshow” Catalan Interview at the Art Centre La Panera.
2017. “Scared Shitless” Typism Conference, Australia.
2017. “Drunk on Letter Ink” Podcast Interview, USA.
Interviews & Press Publications
2026. Lessons Learned, Alphabettes Soup Book: Feminist Approaches to Type.
2026. Green Fairy Font Family, Adobe Fonts.
2025. The Year Book of Lettering, Part Two.
2025. Typism Book Ten, Australia.
2023. The Year Book of Lettering, Part One.
2023. Typism Book Nine, Australia.
2022. Type Specimens, A visual history of typesetting and printing by Dori Griffin.
2022. Typism Book Eight, Australia.
2022. Change Starts in the Classrooms, Belonging Report by We Are Tank.
2021. Typism Book Seven, Australia.
2020. Escriptura i sensibilitat by Jordi Ribas.
2020. Typism Book Six, Australia.
2019. The Heroine’s Journey feature by Peter De Kuster.
2019. L’univers de Maria Montes by Anna Vilamú Bosch, surtdecasa.cat, Spain.
2019. La lletra esdevé art by Gloria Aznar, Diari de Tarragona, Spain.
2019. Interview with Maria Montes. Type@Paris, France.
2019. Typism Book Five, Australia.
2018. Interview with Maria Montes. Design Feast by Nate Burgos.
2018. Stop Feeding The Beast. Nibster Mag, Spain.
2018. Typism Book Four, Australia.
2018. Letterpressed Illustrated Cocktails. Scripted Book, China.
2018. LOVE. Good Type The Book Volume Two, USA.
2018. Green Fairy Font Family, MyFonts.
2017. Typodarium, Germany.
2017. Cocktail Cards That Pack A Punch. Neenah Papers, USA.
2017. Entrevista con Maria Montes. Puentestudio, Argentina.
2017. Fresh Illustration by Maria Montes. Communication Arts, USA.
2017. Lettering and Illustration by Maria Montes. The Design Files, Australia.
2017. Scare Shitless: Facing fear and getting out of your comfort zone. Alphabettes.
2017. Interview with Maria Montes. Typerie, Australia.
2017. Five Typographers Share Their Treasured Finds. Communication Arts, USA.
2017. Shit Just Got Real with Maria Montes. Typograph.her, Australia.
2016. Hidden Gems in Melbourne: Renaissance Bookbinding. Alphabettes.
2016. The Richardson Family. Good Type The Book Volume One, USA.
2016. Introduction to Calligraphy. Lettering Hub, Australia.
2016. Profile Interview. Lettering Hub, Australia.
2015. Typism Book Two, Australia.
2014. Profile interview. Baronmag.
2014. Our First Six. The Loop, Australia.
2014. Profile interview. Magic Timeout.
2013. Homage to JMP Lettering Artwork. Typism Book One, Australia.
2011. Miłosz Italic Typeface Design. Desktop Magazine, Australia.
Exhibitions
2025. Recipes For Connecting Group Exhibition. Casa Bonay, Barcelona.
2020. Across Borders Group Exhibition. Design Museum Barcelona.
2020. Letterform Group Exhibition. Revolver Upstairs, Melbourne.
2020. Front Lines: Takayna to Adani. Long Gallery Hobart, Tasmania.
2019. Planet Before Profit Group Exhibition. Work-shop Melbourne.
2019. Typo EINA 15 Anys Group Exhibition. Eina Espai Barra de Ferro, Barcelona.
2019. What a Shitshow Solo Exhibition. Centre d’Art Tinglado 2 Tarragona, Spain.
2019. La Tipografía en la Cultura Contemporánea Group Exhibition, Mexico.
2018. What a Shitshow Solo Exhibition. Centre d’Art La Panera Lleida, Spain.
2017. High Risk Dressing/Critical Fashion Group Exhibition. RMIT Design Hub.
2016. Yelp After Work Drink Party Group Exhibition. Work-shop Melbourne.
2015. Breaking The Ice Solo Exhibition. Nieuw Amsterdam, Melbourne.
2015. People Can Change Group Exhibition. Melbourne Arts Club Gallery.
2015. Pick Me Up London. Group Exhibition represented by Supergraph Australia.
2015. Supergraph Group Exhibition. Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne.
2014. Tone of Voice Group Exhibition. CATC College, Melbourne.
2013. Homage to Josep Maria Pujol Group Exhibition, Barcelona.
