Superpower: Like her name, “to make clear or bright”
Co-Founder and Director, Coat of Arms
While some may feel confined by a rural childhood, Clara Lehmann felt empowered by it. Helvetia, home to roughly 50 residents, is “about as rural as it gets,” Lehmann says. And being welcomed and even encouraged to participate at the “adults’ table” helped shape Lehmann’s interest in human interaction. She studied sociology and anthropology in college, ultimately deciding to combine documentary filmmaking with corporate creative work. “While they sound in conflict with one another, they’re actually complementary,” she says. “What you witness and experience through a documentary, there’s a similar craft with corporate through design or use of a logo or a color palette.”
Lehmann and her husband, Jonathan Lacocque, initially launched their business, Coat of Arms, in Chicago in 2010. They offer video, design, animation, and brand guideline development services to clients ranging from Google and Salesforce to mom-and-pop shops and local banks. The couple later returned to Lehmann’s hometown, where they are raising their daughters while continuing to serve clients nationally and internationally.
Inspired by her grandmother and her desire to better understand West Virginia communities, Lehmann has also written and directed two feature-length documentaries. “Born in a Ballroom is a reflection of my grandmother’s love for this place,” Lehmann shares. “O Pioneer is a reflection on what it means to be a pioneer in modern times, told through the perspective of three West Virginians who are helping their community and seeing themselves thrive through hardships.”
With the hope of empowering the state’s next generation, Lehmann is involved with several nonprofits, including Country Roads Angel Foundation, West Virginia Community Development Hub, and the Helvetia Restoration and Development Organization. “As West Virginians, we have a hard time letting go of pain and hardship, but it’s important not to let that define us. Change can be hard, but adapting helps us move forward. I hope the work I leave behind makes it a little easier for the next generation to make their mark.”
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Since 2014 WV Living magazine has been honoring West Virginia Wonder Women, amazing women who are raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries, and forcing change for the greater good. WV Living is proud to celebrate these Appalachian mothers, millennials, and mavens proving that in a time full of uncertainty, divisiveness, and hate, love for one another is all we really need. No need for bulletproof bracelets or a golden lasso of truth—these women are creating a better West Virginia with their can-do attitudes and Mountain State spirit.
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