FOUNDER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR/DESIGNER
ELISSA VON LETKEMANN ART AND DESIGN
PORTSMOUTH NH
Elissa Von Letkemann has been a practicing designer, artist and educator for over 25 years. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Elissa Von Letkemann Art and Design, an award-winning boutique studio that specializes in strategic branding and design with a focus on lifestyle, arts and culture. The work Elissa and her collaborators create empowers clients to communicate with audiences in a uniquely authentic and creative way, allowing for growth, meaningful engagement and inspiration.
She has worked with clients across a variety of sectors, including MASS MoCA, ArtsBoston, The James E. Lewis Museum of Art, The Peabody Essex Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, Stonewall Kitchen, Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Pantry, Reykjavik-based Iceland Catch, and Dutch academic publishing company, Elsevier.
Elissa has also taught undergraduate and graduate level design for many years at Lesley University, Suffolk University, and at The University of New Hampshire where she received her BA in Studio Art. She earned her MFA in Graphic Design at Boston University and has pursued continuing education at SACI (Studio Arts Center International) in Florence, Italy and at New York University where she received a post-graduate certificate in public relations.
In service to her community, Elissa offers pro-bono design to non-profits in her area, chairs the branding committee as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Portsmouth Historical Society, is an inaugural member of the Gallery Committee at Portsmouth’s 3S Artspace, and previously was an active Board member of the Maine Chapter of the AIGA. Additionally, Elissa maintains a fine art practice exploring digital illustration, collage and textile design.
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2025, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT YOUR DESIGN PRACTICE/BUSINESS? MORE GENERALLY, ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THAT GRAPHIC DESIGN WILL CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS BRINGING VALUE TO THE TABLE IN COMMERCE AND CULTURE?
I am grateful and optimistic about the future of my design practice. In the 25 years I have been in business, I’ve successfully cultivated a portfolio of clients in a variety of industries from professional individuals and small businesses to large cultural institutions and international corporations. This expansive, multidisciplinary scope of work has resulted in diverse expertise and strategic relationships, allowing my business to sustain the ebbs and flows of the marketplace.
Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, as the founder of my own firm, my professional work is personal. Many of my clients have naturally become friends, and our ongoing collaborations fuel my practice. This personal dynamic gives me great joy and confidence in the success of my business in 2025 and beyond.
More generally, graphic design continues to bring fundamental value to our civilization. It is visual communication — a vital tool for human connection and survival. Whether in advertising, social advocacy, education or wayfinding, it remains intrinsically important for commerce, culture, and the ability to navigate our complex world.
