About Me

Hi! My name is Ariana Lum, an illustrator, author, and lifelong daydreamer born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Before illustration became my full-time love, I spent over 10 years working as a senior graphic designer, building a career that taught me so much about creativity, storytelling, and how to bring ideas to life.

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My very first office job was at Williams Sonoma, where I spent 2 years designing paid ads and email campaigns. After that, I joined Shopkick, an e-commerce shopping app, and stayed for 5 years creating marketing campaigns, social media designs, and video content. From there, I moved to Fetch (another huge rewards shopping app), where I worked for 3 years on marketing campaigns, social graphics, and blog visuals.

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In 2018 I shifted fully remote which opened up one of the most magical chapters of my life. While keeping my home base in Hawai‘i, I spent years traveling solo through Europe, Asia, and all over the U.S., designing from cafés, beaches, and quiet little corners of the world. Eventually, I felt called to plant deeper roots and moved to Lisbon, Portugal, ready for my next adventure.

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That’s where everything changed.

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I left my design job and finally followed the passion that had been tugging at me since childhood: illustration.

In 2025, I wrote, illustrated, and self-published my debut children’s book, A World Within, a bright, dreamy story about a young girl experiencing grief after losing her grandmother. I wanted to create a comforting book that helps children process big emotions gently. A story that teaches them that love never disappears, and they can always find connection, peace, and magic inside themselves.

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As someone with ADHD, drawing has always been the one thing that quiets my mind and brings me back into myself. It’s grounding, healing, and deeply personal and it’s why I’m so passionate about creating books that help children heal, grow, and feel seen. My mission now is to create magical, whimsical, soul-soothing stories that help kids navigate anxiety, grief, and self-discovery, all wrapped in bright, colorful, otherworldly illustrations.

A World Within is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and I’m already sketching new characters and worlds for future books.

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When I’m not drawing, you can usually find me doing aerial silks (yes, the circus kind! I even performed in two shows in 2024), exploring Lisbon, practicing yoga, or wandering anywhere with sunlight and nature.

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Thank you for being here. I hope my art brings you and the children in your life a little more magic, wonder, and courage. And if you’re dreaming of creating your own book or stepping into your creative path, just know:

I’m rooting for you with my whole heart.