"They used to make fun of me because I would wear high heels, but I was also wearing climbing shoes," laughs Heidi Lister Hevesy.

Heidi was deep in the New York fashion industry, but spent all her free time climbing in the Shawangunks. Working as a high-end print artist, Heidi's professional life in the Big Apple was a stark juxtaposition to her forays into the vertical world.

Yet, Heidi's experience as an artist in New York during the 90's was formative, an eclectic blend of punk, Basquiat, high fashion, and climbing. Today, she draws on those experiences—quite literally—to create beautiful, handcrafted prints for the outdoor industry.

"My strengths were always in art and creative subjects," says Heidi, reflecting on her childhood.

Heidi grew up in the small village of Husbands Bosworth in England, and spent her days immersed in nature.

"I just painted all the time when I was young."

From horses to flowers, Heidi created paintings of her bucolic surroundings, but it was a teacher at school who recognized certain patterns in her work. Suggesting she'd be good at textile design, Heidi found her calling.

Pursuing a degree in fashion textiles, Heidi specialized in print design, but is quick to point out that in England, "you have to be able to paint and draw" to earn a print degree. This ethos has proved pivotal in Heidi's career. From New York to working for Yvon Chouinard at Patagonia, Heidi’s ability to paint and draw by hand was a skill that set her above her peers, and continues to be a definitive characteristic of her art.

Today, Heidi lives in the mountains with her family in Midway, Utah. It's only fitting that her climbing-inspired art is now integrated into the apparel of Black Diamond, based just 30 minutes down the road.

Inspired by rock, Heidi's prints for Black Diamond's Spring 2026 apparel tell a unique story. As she sifts through papers on a desk at BD, the origins of her creative process are breadcrumbs that lead back to the climbing life. There are ink-line drawings on the corner of a sheet with the bold heading: Heidi's Workout, followed by a chart of core strengthening exercises. Then there are the paintings of various mediums, watercolors, crayons, and pen that spill from a portfolio. Vibrant, yet natural, the pieces are rooted in the outside world she experiences on climbing trips. These are textures you can feel with your eyes. Stone you've touched. Sky you've seen. The fact that these prints originate from Heidi's handdrawn lines and paint-sponged pieces—all inspired by nature—seem to bring you closer to the world they're intended to be worn in.

Taking a page from the ethos of Yvon Chouinard—who handcrafted his own pitons in the 1960's to start Chouinard Equipment, the predecessor of Black Diamond—Heidi’s hand created prints are cut from the same cloth.

In fact, it was Chouinard himself who encouraged his designers—who included Heidi at a time—to draw and paint by hand.

"He likes things that start off as a craft, a handmade item," explains Heidi.

For Heidi, these new BD prints were born from her hands in that traditional old-school ethic.

She holds a piece of paper, covered in colorful ink and watercolor, and explains:

"Just the fact that I've got this, and it shows that it comes out of a sketchbook. I can show you the pen that I used, I've got the ink, and you can see the little splatters. It shows that somebody labored over it and put love into it from their own personal art."

In other words, when you're wearing the Alpenglow Hoody, Sierra Short, or Rift Fleece, which are now elevated with her prints, you're not just wearing a stylish, functional piece of clothing built for the outdoors. You're wearing handmade art. A labor of love for climbing.

"I can show you the pen that I used, I've got the ink, and you can see the little splatters. It shows that somebody labored over it and put love into it from their own personal art."