HEATHER CARTER MARTIN is an artist, educator, and small business owner based in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. After earning her BFA from the University of Southern Mississippi, Heather spent over a decade as a high school art teacher while serving as treasurer for the Mississippi Art Education Association and building a strong network of artists and educators throughout the state.

Her career later expanded into museum leadership, serving as Education Director at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art and later Assistant Director at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, experiences that shaped her passion for community-centered arts programming and advocacy.

Heather maintains an active studio practice working in oils, gouache, drawing, and cloisonné jewelry, with a particular love for figure work and observational art. For more than a decade, she has also guided artists and students on immersive camping and day trips to Horn Island, experiences that continue to influence both her artwork and teaching philosophy.

In 2021, Heather founded Ethotera Art Studio, which has grown from a small teaching space into a community art center offering classes, workshops, custom framing, and the only locally owned art supply store on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Today, she works alongside a team of teaching artists to create meaningful creative experiences for people of all ages while continuing to advocate for the importance of art, community, and connection.