Holly Hatam is multi-talented; she's a graphic designer and an author/illustrator (New York Times Bestselling illustrator, at that!) of many beloved children's books. She has written and illustrated books such as Dragons are Real! as well as Unicorns are Real! and she has partnered with other children's book authors to produce several books, among them Dear Girl, Hair Twins and Maxine and the Greatest Garden. Her stories are captivating and her illustrations are whimsical and inclusive. In addition to her literary work, she also develops characters for animation; she recently worked on a television series called Apricot.
I sat down with her for The Gaudy: Insights podcast (please see this link for the full episode: https://traffic.libsyn.com/thegaudyinsights/Holly_Hatam.mp3) but I also wanted to highlight her art and share some of her artwork here on the blog.
After the episode, I followed up and asked her about the importance of art in her life, to which she responded: "Art is important to me because it allows me to express myself in ways that words can't. It's a form of therapy for me. It allows me to let the emotions flow out. It allows me to connect with people on a deep level. To inspire them, make them smile, and let them know they are not alone. When I'm alone with my sketchbook, I fully feel like myself. Art is a big part of who I am and always has been. It made me feel special and gave me a voice when I didn't have one as a kid. My art made me feel like I could make a difference in the world. Art can inspire change, make people feel certain ways, and it can also beautify our world."
Check out Holly Hatam's website to learn more about her work: https://hollyhatam.com/
