Joy Marie Hallare is an illustrator and an author. She was born and raised in Qatar. In 2003, she moved to America to continue her passion. She started drawing at the age of 9. Her art eventually expanded from sketching portraits on paper to painting public murals around California. She graduated from California State University, Fresno with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts and also attended College of Sequoias for Graphic Design. She has other talents as well including public speaking and writing. One of her poems, "Untitled," which exposes her identity in a new world, was selected for the Editor's Pick in the 2020 Colorism Healing Contest. She is currently a teacher in the South Bay Area.