Saz Ross

Saz Ross is a Latin illustrator, educator, and keynote speaker based in Baltimore, Maryland, recognized for her pen-and-ink artistry and contributions to illustration and art education. With more than 15 years of experience, Ross has established a reputation as an award-winning artist and educator. She uses pen and watercolor to create unique juxtapositions of wildlife, architecture, and nature, aiming to engage viewers with imagery that blends the foreign and familiar. Her illustrations have appeared on record albums, skateboards, billboards, product labels, murals, homes, and stores internationally.

Ross began her career as a classroom teacher in art education and received the Maryland Art Education Association Elementary Teacher of the Year Award for the Howard County Public School System. After several years in public education, she transitioned to freelance illustration, mural creation, and art workshops, founding Saz Factory Inc., an illustration, creativity coaching, and speaking business. Her work includes collaborations with Maryland and DC businesses such as Charm City Skatepark, Rasa Juice Shop, Bunnybear Cupcakes, and Greedy Reads, as well as album art for musicians and bands including Flowers De Moon, Deborah Bond, and Chasing Mice.

Ross’s personal experiences, including the loss of her mother to Multiple Myeloma, inform her visual storytelling and keynote presentations. Her program, "Get Lost: Ditch the Roadmap to Unlock Creativity," explores social emotional learning strategies and the creative process. She has facilitated professional development workshops for the Maryland Art Education Association and the Maryland State Department of Education, and served as Educational Director at Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center.

Ross specializes in creative breakthroughs through visual storytelling workshops and keynote presentations that address creativity and innovation. She has led workshops for educators, students, parents, corporations, youth communities, and nonprofit organizations. Her work has been featured on TEDx, The Bespoke Diaries Publications, Empowering Women in Industry, NBC, and ABC News. Ross continues to advocate for illustrators by promoting their work in brick-and-mortar businesses and supporting the integration of art and commerce to empower communities and sustain creative careers.