Becca Hillburn
I’m a comic artist and illustrator who finds inspiration in the green gold of the swamps, the crisp crunch of snoball ice, and the violet velvet of Louisiana irises. A native of St. Charles Parish, I paint from a converted dining room in Destrehan, just across the river from where I grew up. I draw on years of art education and travel to help others craft their imaginations, the same way other artists have helped shape mine.
I find watercolor, caricature, and pen and ink an absolutely magical combination; light enough to catch the shimmer on a dragonfly’s wing, delicate enough for an iris petal. While many artists shy away from painting people, I delight in painting tiny folks moving through the world around them, giving viewers a new way of seeing the sights they’ve learned to take for granted.
I spent much of my childhood catching crawfish in ditches, chasing lizards down shutters, and reading novels in the shade of a pecan tree, and I want to share that love with others to inspire them to protect Louisiana’s wildlife and culture too. My handpainted illustrations are a magnifying glass held up to all the little beautiful things that make this state shine. Lately that means following Kara, the heroine of my graphic novel series, through Louisiana’s food and festivals—walking the swamp boardwalks, admiring the irises at Moncus Park, stirring a pot of jambalaya—using my own adventures, past and present, as inspiration for a state I never stopped loving.
Artist Biography:
Becca Hillburn is a Louisiana comic artist and illustrator who specializes in creating enchanting miniature worlds through watercolor. Born and raised in Southeast Louisiana, she finds inspiration in the natural world as well as in classic children’s literature. Working from her converted dining room in Destrehan, Louisiana, Becca primarily works in watercolor and pen and ink. She aims to create whimsical, watercolor comics and illustrations inspired by her roots and real-world experiences with the goal that these comics, characters, and environments will capture viewers’ hearts and minds. Becca imbues her comics and illustrations with adorable southern characters and charm to create a positive representation of Louisiana. Her whimsical illustrations celebrate the simple pleasures found in the smallest corners of existence, and she loves animals, spending time outdoors, and botany.
