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.
Explore how to prepare for the future while balancing innovation and transformation with with Kate O’Neill, chief tech humanist and author of What Matters Next.
Read MoreCelebrate Mother’s Day by exploring how maternal leadership lessons—in listening, resilience, clarity, purpose, and storytelling.
Read MoreWhat if innovation and breakthrough ideas came from working simpler ideas? Learn insights on simplify your workflow with keynote speaker Lisa Bodell.
Read MoreKeynote speaker Natalie Nixon explains why creativity is essential for innovation and growth, and how leaders can embed creative thinking into their businesses.
Read MoreDive into real-life strategies for mental health, resilience, and culture change with keynote speaker Johnny Crowder.
Read MoreStay ahead for your next event with trends like with personalization, well-being, diversity, immersive tech, and sustainability—plus pro tips & insider links.
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.
🔮 How will the future unfold in the tech-driven world we live in? AI is...
Read MoreThis Sunday, on Mother’s Day, we honor the women whose love taught us courage, whose...
Read MoreWhat if innovation and breakthrough ideas don’t come from working harder but from working simpler?...
Read MoreTired of thinking creativity is just a “nice to have”? Discover how building creative skills...
Read More🎙️ On this episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast, meet the rockstar-turned-mental health revolutionary who...
Read MoreThe events industry isn’t just evolving—it’s accelerating. At The Keynote Curators, we’ve spent years curating...
Read More