About Happylee

Darlee Urbiztondo, also known as Happylee, is a multi-disciplinary Filipino creative based in Belgium. She holds a Master’s Degree in Cultural Studies from KU Leuven, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, specializing in visual analysis, creative labor, and culture.

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Her creative practice spans digital illustration, children’s book illustration, graphic design, painting, calligraphy, and traditional art, with a deep passion for bringing stories to life. With a background as a Senior Graphic Designer in a corporate setting, Darlee combines artistic vision with project management, client communication, and brand consistency, ensuring that every project is both beautiful and strategically aligned.

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Darlee is also the Visual Design & Website Coordinator of SCBWI Benelux and a featured artist in the region. In this role, she oversees the overall visual identity, website visuals, and newsletter design, creating cohesive and engaging materials that support the children’s book community.

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In publishing, she has partnered with self-published authors not only as an illustrator, but also as a technical and design collaborator—preparing print-ready files for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark, designing layouts, typesetting, and refining typography to make books production-ready. Her work bridges storytelling, design, and print technicalities, making her a versatile partner from concept to final files.

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Grounded in her Cultural Studies training, Darlee approaches each project with a strong research-driven and culturally aware lens. She is especially interested in how images shape identity, culture, and the way we see the world. Through magical and whimsical visuals, she aims to share joy while inviting viewers to look beyond borders and into the heart of culture and humanity.

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An old soul at heart, Darlee finds inspiration in coffee, books, films, anime, music, and everyday moments, always drawing from the simple pleasures of life to fuel her next story.

Photo Credits to Joanne Deleon