Committed to pushing the boundaries of public art, community practice and community engagement.
Studio
Amber Art and Design is grounded in the belief that art catalyzes positive growth.
Our team specializes in murals, public interventions, and creative facilitation, responding to community needs. We use art as a tool to actively engage people in the design of public spaces, guided by three pillars of work: the design and fabrication of public art, community engagement, and arts education with a specific focus on environmental justice.
History
Established in 2013, Amber Art & Design is an artist collective founded by Keir Johnston, Linda Fernandez, Ernel Martinez, Charles Barbin, and the late Willis “Nomo” Humphrey.
The collective initially shared a studio on Amber street, inspiring the group’s name. Since then, Amber has added Martha O’Connell to the team and has completed over 60 public art projects.
Mission
We work across disciplines to bring together artists, designers, cultural practitioners, and partners to develop ideas that are thoughtful, accessible, and rooted in place. From early research and concept development to fabrication and implementation, our practice values experimentation, storytelling, and collaboration—creating work that invites curiosity, encourages dialogue, and offers new ways of experiencing the world around us.
Amber Art and Design approaches creativity as a process of discovery, exchange, and collective imagination.
Your support helps us create meaningful art and design experiences that strengthen communities, expand access, and create lasting impact.
Donate
-

Design
Our designs are unique works of art informed by studies of culture, nature, and place. Through a community-driven process, we create thoughtful public artworks and experiences by developing creative programs that inspire participation, storytelling, and connection.
-

Consultation
We’re committed to creating inclusive and accessible public spaces that reflect the needs of a community. We have served as consultants on large-scale public art projects, artist residencies, architectural spaces, and community-centered programs that encourage meaningful engagement and long-term impact.
-

Education
We believe the arts are a catalyst for expression, critical thinking, and connection. Our curriculum encourages learners of all ages to experiment with materials, explore ideas through inquiry, and build confidence through collaboration, creativity, and hands-on making.
-

Community Engagement
We believe meaningful community engagement begins with listening, relationship building, and shared storytelling. Through public programs, workshops, and collaborative processes, we create welcoming opportunities for neighbors to shape creative outcomes and participate in collective design.
-

Fabrication
Using a range of techniques, we have fabricated more than 60 interior and exterior public artworks of varying scale and complexity. In partnership with clients and communities, we transform ideas into engaging, educational, and thoughtfully crafted works of art.
In Remembrance
Willis "Nomo" Humphrey
Willis “Nomo” Humphrey was Born in Biloxi, Mississippi and graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta, and trained as a graphic designer. Throughout his time as a staff artist of the Mural Arts Program and as a founder of Amber Art and Design, Willis has worked with many Philadelphian neighborhoods and communities to fabricate murals that commemorate the lives and history of African Americans. In his work, Willis articulated inner freedom through outward expression. He channeled creative energy through many outlets from digital design to free-flowing acrylics on substrates that range from clothing apparel to thirty foot murals.
His body of work spans the city from playgrounds to senior centers, schools, and recreation centers; most notable are Staircases and Mountaintops: Ascending Beyond the Dream at the MLK Recreation Center, Colorful Legacy: Building Brotherhood in West Philadelphia, and Remembering a Forgotten Hero: Octavius Catto at the Universal Institute Charter School in South Philadelphia. Willis passed away in November 2018 and is deeply missed by the Philadelphian art community, and by those he has impacted through his community engagement and mural projects and initiatives.
Clients
Breck Built Studio
Clean Air Council
Delaware River Waterfront Corp
Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States
Mary McLeod Bethune
Moore College of Art
Mural Arts Philadelphia
NYC Department of Transportation
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Playful Learning Landscapes
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
Taller Puertorriqueño
Temple University
The Village of Arts and Humanities
Trust for Public Land
University City District
Playful Learning Landscapes
University of Nebraska
UPENN
Academia Antonia Alonso
African American Museum Philadelphia
Albright-Knox Art Gallery
Allentown Art Museum
Barnes Foundation
Big Sandbox
Brandywine Workshop
Collaborators
Aaron Ammons
Ali Bradley
Ambrose Liu
Angie “Agonza” Gonzalez
Anne Harrison
Ben Howard
Ben Miller
Beth Uzwiak
Betsy Casanas
Billy Yallowitz
Byran Martinez
Carlo Campbell
Carlos Valencia
Carol Zou
Conrad Benner
Daniel Tucker
Dave Guinn
DayOne
Dayannah Woody
Dig Ferreira
Efrain Herrera
Eric Okdeh
Eve Lewis
Felix St. Fort
Frank Barbella
Gabby Attaway
Gabe Tiberino
Gail Gayle
Grace Sheahan
Hal Blum
Heryk Tomassini
Holly Hazel
Intisar Hamilton
James Schuster
Jamie Hughes
Jamie Victor
Jaq “Jingle” Masters
Jared Wood
Jason Slowik
Jenn Procacci
Jenny Lee-Mas
Jess Jackson
Jocelyn Macdonald
Jocelyn Thompson
Joel Rosario Tapia
Johnny Buss
José Ortiz-Pagán
Jovi Sevon
Joy Best
Juan Carlos Valencia Michileno
June Lopez
Justin Keller
Kathleen Greene
Kate Welbes
Kayla Thomas
Kenni Field
Kenza Bousseloub
Katherine Shiwozoa
Kevin Shields
Kyra N. Thompson
Kim Torres
Kris Casañas
Laila Islam
Laura Bejarano
Li Sumpter
Logan Cryer
Madalyn Smith
Malcolm Burnley
Michael Ezell
Michelle Ortiz
Mtukufu Mtumaini-El
Mycah Dickerson
Nestor Rodriguez
Nila Devaney
Nina “Lyrispect” Ball
Nora Rabbins
Pedro Alanzo
Rachel Glidden
Rashayla Maree-Brown
Rodney Camarce
Sahiti Bonam
Sam Rodriguez
Sharon Leshner
Sheldon Abba
Shira Walinsky
Shirley Slaughter
Stephanie Garcia
Tai Humphrey
Taji Nahl
Tamara Diaz
Tash Billington
Tatyana Fazlalizadeh
Teddy Harris
Terrance “ShapShot” Anderson
The Future is Us Collective
Thomas Walton
Tim Belknap
Trisha Sealy
Yannick Lowrey
Ysanel Torres
Zoe Hicks
