Paula Hemm
hello@volcanostudio.co
InstagramI’m Paula Hemm, a visual artist and graphic designer. Originally from Brazil, I’m currently based in Morocco. I hold a degree in Fashion Design from UDESC, a Master’s in Business Management from FGV, a specialization in Critical Theory of Society from the Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, and a postgraduate degree in Neuroscience and Behavior from PUCRS.

My work moves between art, communication, and critical thinking. I’m the founder of Volcano Studio, a network of creatives focused on strategy and digital content, where I seek to create connections that unite aesthetics, sensitivity, and discourse. I explore portraits, everyday moments,
and symbolic compositions to build narratives where the sensitive is also political. I’m particularly interested in digital painting, video, and installation — using diverse media and languages as tools to articulate thought and emotion.

In 2019, I was awarded Best Artist at the In Situ Art Fair in North Macedonia, a recognition that reinforces my commitment to an art that observes, provokes, and transforms.





Education
2022 - 2024
Master’s Degree,
Neuroscience and Behavior
PontifíciaUniversidade Católica doRio
Grande do Sul

2019 - 2020
Advanced course
Critical Theory of Society
Università degli Studi diMilano-Bicocca

2015 - 2018
Master’s Degree,
Business Management
FundaçãoGetulio Vargas

2005 - 2011
Bachelor’s Degree,
Fashion Design
Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina


Employment 2015 - 2024
Founder, Creative Designer & Strategist
Volcano Creative Studio | Brazil
We are a creative studio specializing in sparking meaningful conversations through social media. Our focus is on branding, packaging, illustration, and content creation tailored for digital platforms; delivering custom solutions for diverse clients across a range of industries.

2022 - 2024
Art Director
Contente / Remote / Brazil
Advertising agency and the first content and media platform for a more conscious digital life. As an art director, I was responsible for leading and overseeing the visual creation of projects across various mediums, such as advertising, videos, graphic  and  web design.

2019 - 2022
Art Director
Obvious Agency | Remote | Brazil
I developed the branding project for the biggest product of the house, the "Bom dia, Obvious" podcast. This involved creating the entire visual identity, from the logo to defining the colour palette, selecting the ideal typography, and crafting graphic elements that capture the essence and purpose of the program. Additionally, I contributed to other agency projects by developing materials and campaigns for clients such as Revista Capricho and Always Brasil.

2015 - 2015
Fashion Designer Senior | Women's clothes
Pernambucanas – Arthur Lundgren Tecidos S/A / Brazil
In my role, I spearheaded the development of the contemporary women's collection while nurturing relationships with suppliers and buyers. Alongside this, I analysed global trend clusters, taking into account cultural, social, and political factors pertinent to our national market. This multifaceted position demanded frequent travel to fine-tune the collection and meticulously craft information sheets for suppliers in China, India, and Bangladesh, facilitating seamless communication on imported clothing trades.

2012 - 2015
Fashion Designer Senior | Women's clothes
Casual, Classic and Plus Size lines | Fitness and BeachWear | Kids Boys
Marisa Lojas Varejistas Ltda / São Paulo / Brazil
I held the responsibility for overseeing product lines. This involved creating developed collections through collaboration with suppliers, traveled within Brazil to ensure product standards, and provided information to suppliers in China, India, and Bangladesh. Oversaw marketing campaigns, presented collections to management, and monitored visual merchandise.

2011 - 2012
Fashion & Accessory Designer | Kids Boys
You by Mo - Grupo Missako / São Paulo / Brazil
I conducted research, created prints, and monitored production. I managed relationships with suppliers, developed product mixes, and oversaw both internal and external production. Additionally, I created sales training materials and monitored advertising campaigns and lookbooks.

2010 - 2012
Creative Director and Co-founder
Belmondo Store / Florianópolis / Brazil
I led together with the co-founder the development of Women's and Men's collections, while overseeing marketing, branding, and communication. I also analysed e-commerce performance and shaped product mixes and collection concepts. Additionally, I maintained contact with fabric suppliers, seamstresses, and print factories.




Languages
Portuguese | Native
English | Full Professional
Italian | Full Professional
Spanish | Professional Working
French | Elementary Proficiency



AwardsBest Artist at the In Situ Art Fair in North Macedonia.
2019



Press
Mentioned in: Aurora: The Awakening of the Exhausted Woman, by Marcela Ceribelli – Chapter: “Sometimes, I Think I’m an Impostor”, HarperCollins Brazil, 2022.

Featured in “Amor, o Coelho: Rita Carelli fala de bicho e sentimento em livro para todas as idades”, published June 29, 2021 in the Estante de Letrinhas column, O Estado de S. Paulo.

Featured Interview & Profile:
"Now on View: Tangerine Illustration" – Interview and artist feature on the Society6 blog, 2017.








Art
Design

BRANDING
Client: @cidinha
Branding
2024

We developed the complete visual identity for Cidinha, the personal brand of a gynecologist who bridges medicine and women’s well-being through sports and a more humanized approach to health.

The project included logo creation, color palette definition, visual hierarchy, typographic selection, and guidelines for illustrations and social media. Each element was thoughtfully crafted to reflect the lightness, care, and vitality present in the professional’s journey, building an authentic and welcoming digital presence. Additionally, we created a brand guideline manual to ensure consistency across all touchpoints and future applications.

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ILLUSTRATIONClient: Reserva Mini
Illustrations
2020 | 2021


I created the illustrations for a campaign that gently and powerfully explored the complexities of motherhood during the pandemic for Reserva Mini. At a time when mothers were juggling multiple roles: professional, domestic, and emotional, the aim was to craft visuals that embraced imperfection and honored the strength found in care. The illustrations use soft lines, symbolic gestures, and compositions that evoke exhaustion, generosity, and rebirth.

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PACKAGING
Client: Mica Chocolates
Packaging Design
2020

Inspired by the cinematic universe of Wes Anderson, this visual identity and packaging project for Mica Chocolates was born from a desire to awaken emotional memory. In times where consumption is driven by necessity, we chose to evoke the longing for connection — with nostalgic lines, warm colors, and typography that recalls another time.

The project included branding, packaging design, stationery, internal materials, and full creative direction.

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BRANDING
STRATEGY 
& SOCIAL MEDIA@coisas.cc

As co‑founder and content strategist at Coisas.cc, I helped build a vibrant digital community that blends activism, culture, and entertainment. Our team created and curated impactful content on Instagram, newsletters, and online programs — ranging from Clube Quarantine and Clube Coisas. We also partnered with singers, experts, and brands to deliver content that sparks meaningful conversations and moments of lightness.

During my time on the project, Coisas.cc grew to over 120,000 followers, reaching 3.5M accounts monthly with an engagement rate above 5%. I worked on content direction, design concepts, and visual guidelines that shaped the platform’s distinctive identity. Collaborations included brands like Universal Music, Domestika, Consul, and more, consolidating Coisas.cc as a reference in digital dialogue and creative activism.

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EDITORIALClient: Marisco Edições
Editorial 
2022

I designed the front cover and flap for Surtada, porém inteira by Amanda Foschini, a memoir that blends biting humor with emotional candor. The visual concept reflects the book’s raw and liberating tone, crafting an editorial identity that balances authenticity and warmth.

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ILLUSTRATION
 Artist Portraits for Social Media
Illustrations

Over the past few years, I have created numerous illustrated portraits of artists, musicians, writers, performers and thinkers. These works have been used as podcast covers, promotional posters, and social media assets, bringing a unique visual identity to each project.

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BRANDING
Client: Bonita de Pele
Branding
2019

Developed at Volcano Creative Studio, this project established the visual identity for Bonita de Pele, a digital beauty platform rooted in authenticity and community. The design drew from natural pigments: indigo, urucum, paprika, and turmeric, balanced with a vibrant magenta to symbolize its digital DNA. A logo inspired by a real portrait of founder Jana Rosa was created to visually translate the brand’s personality and foster an immediate connection with its audience.






BRANDING
Client: Oficina Brutalista
Branding
2020

This project created the visual identity and social media assets for Oficina Brutalista, a writing workshop led by Brazilian author Ivana Arruda Leite.

The creative direction drew inspiration from Brutalist architecture and Constructivist aesthetics, translating concepts like raw structure, concrete, glass, and architectural form into a bold visual language. My role included developing the concept, curating visual references, defining the color palette, and producing graphic materials and logo applications across diverse backgrounds.





ILLUSTRATION
Client: Companhia das Letras
Selo Paralela
Book Illustrations
2019

I provided a series of original illustrations for Com que roupa?: Guia prático de moda sustentável, authored by environmental consultant and communicator Giovanna Nader. The book offers practical tips on sustainable living in fashion, highlighting conscious consumption, fabric care, and social responsibility and the visuals were crafted to reflect these themes.

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BRANDING
Client: Casa Ceres
Branding
2024

The Casa Ceres project translates the vision of a space dedicated to caring for people dealing with challenges around food and body image. The brand’s mission —integrating food, body, and affection, was at the core of every design choice, aiming to convey both emotional warmth and professional trust. My role involved concept development, color and typography definition, and practical applications, creating a cohesive and nurturing visual universe for Casa Ceres.




BRANDING
Client: Bommbolo
Branding
2023

I developed the visual identity and digital content system for Bommbolo, a Brazilian confectionery brand based in Sweden whose mission is to create sweet moments that bring people together. The creative direction combines sophistication and joy, with a color palette inspired by Brazilian flavors—chocolate, carrot cake, and brigadeiro—translated into warm tones that balance delicacy and vibrancy.





PACKAGING
Client: By Kim Confeitaria
Packaging Design
2025

I developed a packaging design that merges contemporary minimalism with traditional Korean aesthetics. The creative direction was inspired by elements of hanbok fashion, cultural ornaments, and floral motifs, translated into a modern and elegant visual language for the brand.


    



EDITORIAL
Client: Editora Caixote
Editorial design
2021

I was responsible for the complete graphic design of the children’s book Amor, o Coelho, written by Rita Carelli. The visual concept aimed to gently reflect the emotional depth of childhood through a soft color palette, accessible typography, and airy composition.

The cover, endpapers, and internal layout were designed to enhance the sensory reading experience and mirror the poetic tone of the story. The book was featured in O Estado de S. Paulo as a tender and thoughtful work on emotional bonds.

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BRANDING 
& SOCIAL MEDIA
Client: Obvious Agency
Branding & social media
2020

I developed the full visual identity for Bom dia, Obvious, a podcast hosted by Marcela Ceribelli that brings together conversations on themes that shape contemporary womanhood. The design process began by exploring symbolic elements, such as the deconstruction of a coffee cup and the representation of the sun, to visually translate the podcast’s name, tone, and welcoming morning energy.

I created a cohesive system of colors, graphic assets, and episode covers that balance softness with boldness, ensuring versatility across digital platforms. The project included illustrations of guests, typographic treatments for quotes, and adaptable visual guidelines that helped the podcast stand out and become one of Obvious Agency’s most recognized and engaging products.

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ILLUSTRATION

Client: Rizzoli
Illustration for book cover
2022

I designed the official cover for Crepacuore, Storia di una dipendenza affettiva by Selvaggia Lucarelli,  a deeply honest memoir exploring emotional dependency and recovery. 

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ILLUSTRATION
Client: Ilustralle
Sticker Book Collaboration
2020

I was invited by Ilustralle — a Brazilian stationery brand known for its bold and authentic products, to contribute illustrations to the second edition of their best‑selling Sticker Book. This product, launched in 2019 as the first 100% Brazilian sticker book, features 32 sticker sheets created by a collective of women artists from across the country and quickly became a nationwide success. For this new edition, I developed original A6 sticker sheets with 5 to 15 illustrations each, designed to decorate planners and reflect my artistic identity.





About

2025
ON THE SILENCE OF VOLCANO II
Digital painting
Rabat, Marrocos

The artist is a silent volcano: accumulating inner pressure, memories, sensations. When there’s no more room to contain, it erupts. This eruption is not a choice — it’s a need. Creation and destruction merge, transforming everything around. Between
control and chaos, between quiet preparation and overwhelming release, art is born. A language that doesn’t ask for permission.

A force that simply happens.

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2025
RIZOMA
Digital painting
Rabat, Marrocos

According to Stefano Mancuso, plants are intelligent beings: decentralized, cooperative, sensitive, and deeply adaptable. They perceive, process information, and communicate with each other through underground networks — a silent, distributed intelligence that challenges the hierarchical models of human thought. Inspired by this universe, I propose a new kind of sensitivity: less vertical, more interconnected, more vegetal. A sensibility that inhabits the space between plant and person, between femininity and resistance.

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2024
UNTITLED
Digital painting
Rabat, Marrocos

What remains when everything passes? What stories hide in the folds of routine and subtle gestures? Inspired by the 1950s Copacabana negatives collection gathered by researcher Rafael Cosme, this series can offers a visual reinterpretation where the past echoes silently in the present — where time is not a line, but a spiral.

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2019
MAILBOX NO.1
Installation created for In Situ Art Fair. Mailbox, papers, pens, and instructions. Skopje, North Macedonia.

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2010
IN THE DARK, WE ALSO DANCE
Digital Photography
Buenos Aires, Argentina

In the dark, we also dance explores the silent and intimate rituals of affection in enclosed spaces. In the photographs, the visual narrative unfolds under minimal and warm lighting, evoking the aesthetic of Wong Kar Wai's cinema. The bodies— at times at rest, at times in motion, share a choreography of everyday life, traversed by glances, gestures, and shadows.

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You're welcome here :) Breathe in, breathe out... and explore a little of what I create | ©Paula Hemm by Volcano Studio 2025