Balancing a career in veterinary medicine with a growing passion for illustration, the São Miguel artist has published four books and is developing four more, transforming local heritage into imaginative stories for younger generations.
For Joana Ramos, drawing has always been a way of escaping the demands of everyday life and entering a world where imagination has no boundaries. What began as childhood sketches in the margins of school notebooks has gradually developed into a promising career in children’s literature, bringing the history, traditions, and landscapes of the Azores to life through colorful illustrations and imaginative storytelling.
A veterinarian by profession, Ramos only began pursuing illustration seriously during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a free online drawing course taught by a Brazilian instructor transformed her approach to art.
The experience helped her develop a distinctive visual style, characterized by playful figures, delicate expressions, and illustrations that frequently resemble traditional watercolors.
In an extensive interview, Ramos reflected on her unexpected artistic journey, the difficulties of working in the children’s publishing industry, and her determination to encourage reading among younger generations.
“I have loved drawing since I was little,” she recalled. “Anyone who knows me remembers that I was always scribbling.”
Her first children’s book, Medo de Voar (Fear of Flying), emerged from an assignment during the illustration course. Written by her friend Lúcia Melo, the book was later independently republished through Amazon in 2023.
In 2024, she illustrated A Folha de Outono (The Autumn Leaf), published by Flamingo, based on a story written by Carolina Mota when she was approximately nine years old.
Her artistic career gained momentum in 2025 when the São Pedro Parish Council in Vila Franca do Campo invited her to create two books exploring elements of the parish’s cultural heritage.
The first, Croquet, o Jogo (Croquet, the Game), introduces children to the rules of croquet through a story featuring two young characters inspired by Ramos’s godchildren.
The project followed the rehabilitation of the local croquet grounds and was designed to make the sport accessible and entertaining for younger readers.
Its reception led to a second commission, Roteiro das Olarias (The Pottery Route), which introduces children to the parish’s pottery heritage, including traditional workshops, kilns, artisans, and ceramic production.
Both books were written and illustrated entirely by Ramos, marking an important step in her development as both an author and an illustrator.
The projects were commissioned during the presidency of Flávio Pacheco, who wanted the publications completed before the end of his term.
Ramos recalled the demanding production schedule, with one book released in July and the other in October.
Unlike her earlier works, which were painted by hand, these two publications were created digitally, using techniques intended to reproduce the appearance of watercolor painting.
Although she enjoys traditional painting, she acknowledged that digital illustration offers considerable financial advantages, particularly given the rising cost of specialized paper and art materials.
Her next major project involves a four-book collection dedicated to the parish of Ginetes, also on São Miguel.
The initiative emerged through a collaboration with Pedro Paulo Câmara, a teacher, writer, and researcher from Ginetes, and the local parish council.
The first volume, Ginete e o Mistério da Fonte do Sapateiro (Ginete and the Mystery of the Shoemaker’s Spring), introduces a small horse named Ginete and his companions: a dog, a rabbit, and an Azorean canary.
Together, the characters explore the history and significance of Fonte do Sapateiro, transforming a local landmark into an adventure designed for children.
The remaining books will focus on Ferraria, Pico da Camarinha, and Casa do Monte, the location associated with the first raising of the Azorean flag in 1897.
The same characters will appear throughout the collection, creating continuity between the stories while introducing readers to different aspects of the parish’s heritage.
Ramos explained that the books supported by parish councils are distributed free of charge, although the number of available copies is limited.
She hopes the publications will help children develop a stronger connection to the places where they live, particularly in communities facing population decline and aging.
Beyond these projects, Ramos has completed another illustrated story that is awaiting a publisher.
Inspired once again by her godchildren, the book follows two youngsters who build a rocket and travel to the Moon to discover whether cows live there.
The imaginative adventure includes floating cattle, tractors, and toys, all illustrated in traditional watercolor.
Ramos also hopes to develop a story involving pirates and another featuring a mischievous pigeon she originally created during Inktober, the international drawing challenge that encourages artists to produce an illustration every day in October.
The pigeon has since become a recurring character, appearing discreetly in several of her works.
Despite her growing literary output, Ramos continues to balance illustration with a demanding career in veterinary medicine.
She works with the São Miguel Agricultural Association, conducting animal health examinations associated with brucellosis and tuberculosis testing, and also works in a veterinary practice.
Her professional responsibilities frequently require early mornings, sometimes beginning at four o’clock, leaving evenings and available hours for drawing, writing, and developing new books.
She acknowledged that maintaining both careers requires considerable organization and personal sacrifice.
Illustration, however, remains an essential source of personal fulfillment.
“When I’m drawing, time simply disappears,” she explained, describing the creative process as a refuge from everyday concerns.
Ramos also emphasized that producing children’s books involves considerably more work than many readers realize.
Developing characters, preparing sketches, organizing storyboards, refining illustrations, and completing the final artwork can require hundreds of hours.
She believes that the public does not always recognize the time and expertise involved in artistic production, particularly when the work appears playful or effortless.
Financial sustainability remains another challenge.
Although Ramos has earned money from illustration, she has not yet reached a point where it could replace her veterinary income.
She admitted that determining appropriate fees is difficult, particularly when working with small parish councils operating under limited budgets.
She also expressed concern about the restricted opportunities available to children’s illustrators in the Azores, where publishing possibilities remain limited.
While she has approached regional publishers, she has not yet secured a conventional publishing arrangement for some of her independent projects and may eventually seek opportunities outside the archipelago.
Nevertheless, the enthusiastic reactions of children to her books have strengthened her confidence.
Ramos believes that children’s literature plays an essential role in developing imagination, language, and curiosity.
She expressed concern that many children are not sufficiently encouraged to read at home, particularly as mobile phones and electronic entertainment occupy an increasingly prominent place in family life.
For her, books should become familiar objects long before children learn to read independently.
She praised schools that encourage students to borrow books and share reading experiences with their families, arguing that even brief encounters with literature can enrich children’s development.
“A child who reads inevitably has a greater imagination,” she observed.
Her work also reflects a broader conviction that local history and cultural traditions can be communicated to younger generations through accessible and engaging storytelling.
Rather than presenting heritage as a collection of distant historical facts, Ramos transforms familiar landscapes, traditional occupations, and community landmarks into imaginative adventures.
She hopes this approach will encourage children to recognize the cultural richness of their surroundings while developing a lasting relationship with books.
The illustrator also believes that the Azores could do more to support emerging artists and encourage collaboration between cultural institutions, publishers, and creative professionals.
She acknowledged the importance of personal initiative and professional connections in developing her career, while emphasizing that many talented artists continue to work without adequate visibility or institutional support.
As her illustrations reach wider audiences, Ramos remains modest about her achievements.
She describes her artistic development as a combination of persistence, opportunity, encouragement, and a willingness to continue learning.
Her advice to aspiring illustrators is simple: never abandon a creative ambition merely because its realization seems uncertain.
“I never expected to have a book,” she reflected. “Now I have four, and another four are on the way. I hope to create many more.”
For Joana Ramos, what began as a childhood pastime has become a means of preserving local heritage, nurturing imagination, and introducing young readers to the stories of the Azores.
Her journey demonstrates how artistic ambitions can emerge at unexpected moments and how children’s literature can become a meaningful bridge between cultural memory and future generations.
Based on an inerview in the superb project Complexo N:
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