March 1, 2024

Author

Robert Tickner

“Feminism by definition is the believe that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes. There is no one country in the world where women can expect to receive equal rights. No country in the world can yet say that they have achieved gender equality” Emma Watson.

This month, and every month, respect women by listening to their needs and act accordingly. Support women by creating safe environments for them to thrive. Recruit women and compensate them equally. Celebrate women and their achievements. Promote women to leadership positions. Invest in women and in their businesses. Champion women by giving them a platform to be heard.

For Women’s History Month I am compiling an ongoing list of resources called Women in type & design. Get in touch in you know of any additional resources!

Maria Montes smiling in glasses holding a clear bottle, sitting against a blue wall

Women’s History Month


Women’s History Month is here, and I would like to take the opportunity to share my own journey with all of you. As I mentioned in my January newsletter, this year marks 10 years as an independent creative business of one. I drafted my reflections on the past decade, and it turned into a full 5-page essay. To make it more digestible, I decided to summarise it by years and bullet points. It’s quite shocking to read a decade of your own life presented this way, and I recommend you all to give it a try!

2014

Lost full-time textile design job unexpectedly.

Became a freelance designer and secured my first clients.

Created and sold my first artwork in Melbourne, London and Barcelona.

Started teaching calligraphy at my studio, which became my main income source.

 

2015

My education sustained me for the entire year, as I focused primarily in self-generated work.

Living the dream as a starving artist, educator and independent designer.

Opened my first solo exhibition in Melbourne at the end of the year.

 

2016

Post-exhibition blues followed by depression.

Started “The Shit Series” personal project which lasted 2 years.

Taught Advanced Typography at Tractor Design School in Melbourne.

Calligraphy courses remained my main income, with sporadic client commissions here and there.

 

2017

Calligraphy & lettering gained popularity. All my courses for the year sold out.

Turned 40 and became Australian citizen after 10 years in the country.

Met Dominique Falla and gave my first conference talk at Typism.

Designed and published my first font family called Green Fairy.

Education was almost my only income source, as I discontinued client work to focus on my font for 9 months of the year.

 

2018

Gave a second conference talk at The Design Conference in Brisbane.

Opened my second solo exhibition at La Panera in Spain.

Diagnosed with melanoma at the end of the year.

Education remained my main income source, with some client coming along.

 

2019

Looking for financial security, I accepted a teaching position at RMIT University.

Experienced anxiety and sickness for the first 6 months of the year.

Opened my third solo exhibition in Spain; felt exhausted, overwhelmed and could hardly enjoy any of it.

Went into a 6-month depression right afterwards.

 

2020

Anxiety worsened, declined RMIT job offer.

Hosted my first Calligraphy retreat in Australia.

Global lockdown canceled all my classes and client work.

Started therapy and lost considerable weight due to anxiety.

Started teaching online, which I loved instantly.

Released my first educational video on Youtube, which has now been watched over 197K times.

 

2021

Therapy greatly improved my mental health.

Spent five months in regional NSW.

The Australian Covid-19 wage subsidy became my main income source.

 

2022

Moved out of Melbourne after 11 years at our Fitzroy home.

Spent five months in regional NSW again.

Transferred our beloved Rotson Studios after 8 freaking good years.

Started our overseas journey, landing in Barcelona in August after 3 years away.

Education income dropped and client work increased considerably.

Spent my first Xmas in Catalonia with my family after 11 years.

 

2023

Lived in 6 different apartments; 4 cities; 3 countries; and 2 continents.

Education income kept dropping, relying more and more on client work.

Worked with Pentagram and Porto Rocha in NYC.

Won my first design award at the age of forty six.

Finished the year financially stressed due to overdue invoices.

 

2024

Client work is my main income source.

Moved from Thailand to Vietnam, and looking forward to our next destination.

Feeling the full swing of life with all its splendour and paradoxes; feeling f*king grateful for all of it: the great, the not so great, and everything in between.

Looking for our new home, whatever, wherever this looks like.

Next steps? Getting familiarised with the idea of “I don’t know yet”.




Would you share your last ten years with me?
Much love, Maria xx



Smiling Maria Montes with glasses and dark hair in a navy polka-dot top against a turquoise wall

For over ten years, I’m the author and editor of a bi-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 type and industry. Subscribe here and join my journey!

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A stylized, white-line decorative letter
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White ornamental calligraphy of the number 10 centered on a solid black background.
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