Hayden Goodman is an award-winning African American painter, editorial illustrator, and children’s book illustrator, born and raised in the woods of New England.
She works primarily in gouache, pulling subjects and imagery from folklore, mythology, and the occult. She loves storytelling, world building, and ancient oral tradition. Her work often returns to the witches, goblins, sorcerers, and spells from her favorite stories.
Previously, Hayden has worked as a character artist at Titmouse Inc.
CONTACT & SOCIAL MEDIA
Represented by Jessica Saint Jean at Root Literary. For book inquiries, please contact her agent at jessica@rootliterary.com
For all other freelance inquiries, contact haydengoodman@gmail.com or find her on all social media at @haydenbadman
SELECT CLIENTS & PUBLICATIONS
The New Yorker |The New York Times | Wizards of the Coast | Penguin Random House | Simon & Schuster | Algonquin Young Readers | Henry Holt & Co | Guggenheim Museum | MIT
ILLUSTRATED BOOKS
2026| “IMAGINE NEW SUNS” by Gwendolyn Wallace
2026| “CURIOUS CREATURES OF AFRICAN FOLKLORE” by B. Sharise Moore
2025|“THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS” by Clement Clarke Moore
2024| “THE HEART NEVER FORGETS” by Ana Ot
2023| “THE GREEN PIANO” by Roberta Flack & Tonya Bolden
RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS
Children’s Africana Book Awards Best Picture Book 2025
New York Times 73 Best Illustrations of 2024
KIRKUS Best Picture Books of 2023
AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION 40 (CHOSEN)
EXHIBITIONS
2025| P.S.10 Gallery Nucleus, Portland
2025| ORIGINAL ART 45th ANNUAL EXHIBITION Society of Illustrators, NYC
2025| BOLOGNA CHILDREN’S BOOK FAIR Bologna, Italy
2024| ORIGINAL ART 44th ANNUAL EXHIBITION Society of Illustrators, NYC
2024| BOLOGNA CHILDREN’S BOOK FAIR Bologna, Italy
2023|ORIGINAL ART 43RD ANNUAL EXHIBITION Society of Illustrators, NYC
2023|SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS 65 Society of Illustrators, NYC
2022| SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS 64 Society of Illustrators, NYC
2021| SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS 63 Society of Illustrators, NYC
2021| SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION