Hello!

Drawing for as long as I can remember, I’m happiest with a pencil in my hand, a cup of coffee at my side and with an album playing in the background.

My illustrations blend traditional and digital media, mixing watercolor, ink, pencil and collage. I've created illustrations and lettering for a range of clients, including Penguin Random House, FIGO Fabrics, Simon & Schuster, Taproot Magazine and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Here's a list of books I've illustrated.

I’m inspired by vintage textiles, mystery novels, the flora and fauna of New England, long-forgotten ephemera, Irish folklore and the work of Tasha Tudor, Carl Larsson and Eric Ravilious. In addition to illustration, I create mixed media artwork that blends drawing and embroidery, portraiture and needlework. I also run Petronille Press, a Catholic illustration studio and paper goods shop.

When not drawing, I can generally be found reading, knitting, or out of doors exploring.

Email: abigail@theodesign.com

Press
Yankee Magazine - November/December 2020 / Uppercase Magazine - Issue 32 / Issue 40 / Watercolor Artist - August 2018 / Brown Paper Bag - June 2018 / Flow Magazine (France) - Issue 25, 2018 / Verily - March 2017 / Frankie Magazine Blog - 2016 / The New York Times - May 10, 2013 / The New York Times - August 23, 2012 / Seven Impossible Things / Blog - November 2011 / The Artist's Magazine - October 2009

FAQ

  1. Do you do school/library/bookstore visits?
    Yes! Feel free to drop me a line with more information, here.

  2. Do you do commissions?
    Not at this time. But when I do open up commissions, I post about it to either my blog or on social media.

  3. Will you illustrate the book I’ve written?
    Congratulations on your new story! I’m not able to illustrate self-published projects at this time, but appreciate the interest.

  4. What materials do you use?
    I use graphite, watercolor, gouache and colored pencils for my work and then finish my illustrations digitally, in Photoshop.

  5. Where are you from?
    New England: I’m New Hampshire-born, Maine-raised and currently living in Maine, while working in studio space in New Hampshire.

  6. Your last name is….?
    …Irish. Halpin is the anglicized version of my surname — in the Irish language, my name is Gobnait Ni hAilpín.