Claudia Ramos created the Hola Mijas Bonitas brand and its characters to share her own diverse, lively experiences growing up in Los Angeles. Hola Mijas Bonitas is a Latinx stationery brand that showcases the beauty of diversity, friendship and having fun through a range of colorful and cute hand-illustrated products. From notebooks and sticker packs to keychains and stamp sets, Hola Mis Bonitas follows characters Claudia, Amber, Mily, Rosa, and Lizbeth as they grow up in a neighborhood where everyone around them is unique and beautiful!
The artist behind all the illustrations seen within the brand, Claudia’s goal is to bring inclusivity and diversity to the world through her products. We love her bright, cute illustrations, comics, and products – which include Washi tape, stickers, planners, pins, and cards – and the positive, community-oriented message behind the brand.
She’s also often on the move, so we thought it’d be great to get one of the new Wacom MovinkPad 11s into her hands and see what she thought! She even created a spooky “Zombie Mija” for Halloween. Check out the videos Ramos created below, and read on for an interview with her about her background, her inspiration for her brand, why she isn’t afraid to speak on political issues, and what’s coming up for her next. Note: the interview below has been edited for length and clarity.
How did you discover your passion for art? Were you a creative kid?
I knew I loved art from a very young age. I was that kid who could spend hours looking at art books and drawing books. I remember there were always art contests in kids’ magazines, and I would get so excited to enter and draw for them. Even at school, I would light up whenever our teacher gave us homework that involved drawing. At home, I loved flipping through my father’s sketchbook and trying to recreate his drawings. I was always doodling – sometimes so much that I got in trouble for drawing on books I probably shouldn’t have! Being creative was just part of who I was, and it’s something that has stayed with me my whole life.
Did you go to art school? If not, what was your path toward art as a career?
I graduated from California State University, Northridge with a BA in Graphic Design. But honestly, my love for art started way before college. A big influence was my dad; he’s a machinist, and I used to flip through his sketchbook and just be amazed by his drawings. That made me curious about his pencils and pens, and soon enough I wanted a sketchbook of my own. In school, art was always the subject I did best in, and by high school I was taking AP Art. I knew then that I wanted to keep going with it in college and turn it into a career.
I’ve also always loved giving advice and helping people, so graphic design felt like the perfect fit. I could make art that connects with people and impacts the community. That mix of creativity and communication is what really pushed me to pursue design as my path.
You’ve talked about how when you were a child, you didn’t necessarily have cartoon characters, superheroes, and other cute pop culture symbols who looked like you and represented your community. How did you decide that you were going to fill that void yourself by creating your brand?
When I migrated with my parents from El Salvador to Los Angeles, I noticed right away how people like me and my community were shown on TV. If you were brown, you were usually portrayed in a negative way as villains. That always stuck with me, and it followed me into adulthood. Later, when I started working in the corporate world, I experienced discrimination and a lack of inclusivity firsthand. Around that time, I began attending summits for Latinas, and it was so inspiring to see so many women doing what they loved. Having to constantly prove myself that I was more than the labels placed on me pushed me to start creating illustrations inspired by my own identity and culture. Even in my portfolio, I made sure to highlight my roots and include Spanish words in my résumé because that was a big part of who I was.
With the experience I gained in the creative world, from fashion to the toy industry, I was able to take that knowledge and build something of my own, something that represented me and my community. I started by drawing myself in different hairstyles and looks inspired by my high school fashion: curly hair, hoop earrings, all of it. From there, I created six different styles of “me,” each one representing different skin tones and mixed backgrounds, including Afro-Latina. Later, I even created an Asian-Latina character inspired by my daughter, who’s Filipina and Salvadorian.
For me, it was so important to create a representation that felt fun, cute, and positive, something I wished I had growing up. I want everybody to be able to see themselves in my characters. Representation is so important to me, and that’s what drives everything I create.
Why did you choose to focus on stationery, stickers, and similar items?
I’ve always had such a big love for stationery! Growing up, I was obsessed with brands like Lisa Frank and Hello Kitty. I would collect stickers and pencils and use them in my diary and school folders. It was my little way of adding joy and creativity to everyday things. In high school, when we got planners, I would decorate mine with stickers and even sketch out my outfits for the week. It made something simple feel so fun and personal.
That love followed me into adulthood. Even in the corporate world, I couldn’t resist buying all the cute supplies post-its, notebooks, notepads, everything to brighten up my desk. And of course, I never stopped doodling in my planners. Eventually, I thought: what if I created stickers that looked like me and represented my culture? It was such an easy, fun, and affordable way to start bringing my characters to life, and it opened the door to share them with the stationery and planner community.
Now my desk is filled with notebooks, post-its, and notepads from my own brand, and it brings me so much joy to finally see diverse characters smiling back at me, something I always wished for as a kid. What makes it even more special is knowing that both children and adults can now see themselves represented in something as simple and joyful as stationery. Because really, who doesn’t love stationery?
How have Wacom products played a part in your creative journey?
I still remember the first time I was introduced to a Wacom tablet when I started working in the corporate world. It completely changed the way I create. Up until then, I was so used to using a mouse, but once I tried Wacom, I was hooked! It felt so natural, almost like my ideas could finally flow straight onto the screen. Wacom has been with me throughout my career for over 20 years now, and I still use it every day for my freelance work and my own business. It’s been such a constant in my creative journey that I can’t imagine working without it.
What makes it even more special is that it’s now part of my daughter’s world too. She’s an artist herself and recently started taking graphic design classes, and of course, she’s using a Wacom tablet! And now we’ve been introduced to the Wacom MovinkPad 11, which has really leveled things up for us. We’re both so used to drawing in sketchbooks, but having a digital tablet has helped us move faster, bring ideas to life more easily, and even save paper. It brings me so much joy to see how something that’s been such a big part of my own journey is now inspiring hers too, and how Wacom continues to grow with us.
You and your daughter recently created a video with us featuring the Wacom MovinkPad 11. What did the two of you like best about it?
When we got our hands on the Wacom MovinkPad 11, we were both so excited! The first thing we noticed was how light it is, and the screen quality is just stunning. We love that the pen doesn’t need to be charged, so we can jump straight into drawing without any interruptions. Plus, the anti-glare coating on the screen makes it perfect for drawing outside, which is absolutely a plus.
My daughter is an artist herself, and the moment she started using the MovinkPad 11, I knew we both would want to use it all the time! She’s super inspired by my journey as an artist and business owner, and it’s amazing to see her passion grow. She’s already making her own stickers and selling them to her classmates, and she even wants to take a business class in college to keep building her skills. It brings me so much joy to see her developing her own style and creativity. Sharing this love for art with her and now having the Wacom MovinkPad 11 to create together makes it even more fun and exciting. It’s so special to pass on my passion to the next generation!
Speaking of the next generation, what advice would you give to young creatives who might want to pursue an artistic career?
The same advice I give my daughter is what I’d tell any young creative: do what you love! Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, and have fun with it. I knew from a young age that I loved drawing. I would get so excited whenever homework involved anything artistic!
My biggest tip? Grab a sketchbook and just start drawing whatever makes you happy. There are endless ways to learn and grow today. You can find tons of free online courses, explore tutorials, or head to the library and dive into the art section. There are so many resources out there, and the more you experiment and practice, the more your skills and your creativity will grow. Just have fun!
Your work is very invested in positivity, self-love, and representing your community. Why is that important to you?
This is so important to me because everyone deserves to feel seen and heard. As a child, I often felt like I wasn’t, and I don’t want the next generation to feel that way. As a mother, it’s especially meaningful to show my daughter that art can be a powerful way to make an impact and share a message. I also want her, and other kids to see themselves represented, to feel proud of who they are, and to know that their voices matter.
Using my Mijas in my work has also been healing for me. I’ve realized that I’m giving mini Claudia what she always wanted: to feel seen and heard. It’s like reconnecting with my inner child while creating something that inspires and empowers others.
You don’t seem afraid to touch on political issues like US immigration policy in your work, and you’ve created stickers in collaboration with CHIRLA. In your words, though, “This isn’t politics, this is humanity.” Why did you feel like that was the right move? What has the response been like to this work? Do you worry about your message alienating people or creating backlash?
When CHIRLA reached out to collaborate and create stickers that support the immigrant community, it was a really big deal for me. As an immigrant myself, it felt so important to show this in my brand. My Mijas are all about representing my community, and representation has always been central to my work. For me, art is a way to express ideas and send a message, and this collaboration felt like the right way to do that. With the Mijas Stand Up stickers, I wanted to show that children have a voice too. I drew my Mijas holding protest signs that were actually written by real children, highlighting that kids are important and that their voices matter. As a parent, it’s heartbreaking to see how current events affect children, so this project was very personal for me.
I didn’t know what to expect when I launched the collection, but the response has been amazing. The community, media outlets, and so many people reached out to say thank you for using my art to bring attention to such an important issue. I’ll be honest: I was a little worried about potential backlash or how it might affect my business, but I knew it was my duty to speak up for my community and show them they are not alone. Luckily, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’ve received so much love and support!
Do you have anything coming up that fans of your work should keep an eye out for?
Right now, I’m doing some fun pop-up events, and you can find all the details on my socials. I’m also working on new products that fans have been asking for: tote bags, t-shirts, and even some pens, which I’m super excited to introduce to my shop! For October, I created some playful Espooky (Spooky) tote bags featuring my Mijas as zombies because, yes, I absolutely love zombies! It’s been so fun bringing these ideas to life, and I can’t wait for people to see them.
About the artist:
Claudia Ramos created the Hola Mijas Bonitas brand and its characters to share her own diverse, lively experiences growing up in Los Angeles. Hola Mijas Bonitas is a Latinx stationery brand that showcases the beauty of diversity, friendship and having fun through a range of colorful and cute hand-illustrated products. From notebooks and sticker packs to keychains and stamp sets, join characters Claudia, Amber, Mily, Rosa, and Lizbeth as they grow up in a neighborhood where everyone around them is unique and beautiful!
Follow her work on Instagram, on her website, or on the Hola Mijas Bonitas. You can also shop the Hola Mijas Bonitas products at the Hola Mijas Bonitas shop.
