Amy Herman is a lawyer and art historian who uses works of art to sharpen observation, analysis, and communication skills. By showing people how to look closely at painting, sculpture, and photography, she helps them hone their visual intelligence to recognize the most pertinent and useful information and biases that impede decision-making. She developed her Art of Perception seminar in 2000 to improve medical students’ observation and communication skills with their patients when she was the Head of Education at The Frick Collection in New York City. She subsequently adapted the program for a wide range of professionals and leads sessions internationally for the New York City Police Department, the FBI, the French National Police, the Department of Defense, Interpol, the State Department, Fortune 500 companies, first responders, the military, and the intelligence community.
In her highly participatory presentation, she demonstrates the relevance of visual literacy across the professional spectrum and how analyzing works of art affords participants in her program an innovative way to refresh their sense of critical inquiry and reconsider the skills necessary for improved performance and effective leadership. The program has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The CBS Evening News, and Smithsonian Magazine, among others. Her TED talk, A Lesson in Looking, went live in December 2018. Ms. Herman holds an A.B., a J.D., and an M.A. in art history. Her book, Visual Intelligence, was published in May 2016 and was on both the New York Times and Washington Post best sellers’ lists.
Based on her best-selling book, Visual Intelligence, Amy Herman’s workshop, The Art of Perception, is an interactive program that teaches participants across the professional
spectrum to analyze works of art as a vehicle to enhance their observation, perception, and communication skills. Looking at works of art as a group will challenge participants’ assumptions --- individually and collectively -- and refresh critical inquiry skills by incorporating multiple perspectives into their thinking. In light of the pandemic’s shift in our situational awareness, the program’s exercises are designed to meet new accessibility challenges to a virtual community and refresh the ability to communicate concisely and effectively especially in the face of change. Works of art are engaged to address breakdowns in precise communication of critical information, navigate new landscapes, and remove assumptions to promote best
practices and more effective problem-solving. Prepare to have your eyes opened when you didn’t even know they were closed.
Building on the skills of visual intelligence taught in The Art of Perception course, Amy Herman’s newest session, Getting to Fixed: New Lenses for Effective Problem Solving, based on her new book, Fixed: How to Perfect the Fine Art of Problem-Solving (December 2021) teaches how to use works of art to see impediments from a different perspective and challenge our default thinking. The last two years have afforded all of us an opportunity to shift the paradigm to reconsider our available resources to craft innovative solutions. This highly participatory
workshop leverages these new insights to open up possibilities otherwise overlooked and provide sustainable tools to resolve myriad problems, from minor annoyances to intractable
dilemmas. Things go wrong all the time, but what matters most is understanding what we can do to fix them.
Uncover expert insights from economic futurist Andrew Busch on using AI to transform your career and drive innovation in an ever-changing world.
Read MoreGreat teams aren’t built on talent alone—they’re built on trust, authenticity, and human connections. Learn more in our podcast episode with Mike Robbins.
Read MoreEmbrace creativity, progress, and bold risk-taking to unlock innovation and empower personal growth in this week's newsletter.
Read MoreIn this episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast, keynote speaker Natalie Nixon discusses her transformative approach to creative thinking in the workplace.
Read MoreLearn why progress, not perfection, is the key to success through empowering insights on resilience, positivity, and personal growth.
Read MoreExecutive coach and keynote speaker Amy Eliza Wong shares how she empowers leaders to transform everyday interactions into trust-building, impactful moments.
Read MoreWe’ll connect so we understand your needs to curate a selection of great speakers.
We’ll manage all the details so you will be confident with your choice.
Inform & educate your participants to ideas that transform their work & personal life.
What if your career could take off simply by exploring the latest AI tools? In...
Read MoreGreat teams aren’t built on talent alone—they’re built on trust, authenticity, and strong human connections....
Read More"Creativity is intelligence having fun." – Albert Einstein Somewhere along the way, many of us...
Read MoreCreative thinking isn’t just an extra skill—it’s the ultimate competitive edge. In today’s hyper-competitive business...
Read MoreI used to think success meant having it all figured out. That if I just...
Read MoreWhat makes a leader truly exceptional beyond simply completing daily tasks? In a world where...
Read More