At fifteen, living circumstances forced Elizabeth Justice to move in with her grandmother. They shared a small apartment and, in that space, they exchanged confidences every day. While studying in Valencia, she spoke on the phone about life, weaving a bond that felt both familial and friendly. This blend of kinship and artistry shaped a Barcelona-born designer and illustrator who pursued a Master’s degree in Fine Arts and Artistic Production, eventually bringing graphic design to life in her work.
Her admiration for her grandmother left a lasting imprint on her worldview and the way she approached creativity. The older woman’s influence inspired a habit of looking beyond design itself to the broader world of illustration. The grandmother’s wisdom became a lens through which she explored storytelling, with a cartoon depicting the elder woman serving as a recurring character. She reflects, saying the grandmother somehow gave her luck and enduring perspective as she grew into adulthood, enriched by the years she had lived.
One of the short stories from the collection highlights a turning point in her career.
“A way to see life with the clearest eye possible, not just as a simple moment of joy or sorrow,” she explains. Cartoons circulated on social networks. By February 2021, what started as post-pandemic, lighthearted content had expanded into a significant following. Dominga’s character became a recognizable symbol among her audience, growing to more than 160,000 followers as it resonated with readers who saw their own lives reflected in her drawings.
From webs to book
She recalls the early momentum: likes, followers, and shares grew rapidly, and brands began to reach out for collaborations. Yet she chose not to commercialize her audience in a way that felt inauthentic. Before long, publishers offered opportunities to turn the vignette into a book, and Elisabeth aligned with Penguin, transitioning from social media to a published work. The decision reflected a commitment to a project that felt true to the voice she had built online. Elisabeth speaks of speaking to herself through her work, with a caption that underscored the value of choosing one’s own path over staying silent in the moment.
“The benefit of talking with various publishers was the freedom to shape the project end to end—creative control over the contents, the endings, and the cover—so the book would feel like a destination, not just a compilation.” She notes that the collaboration allowed for a cohesive, meaningful collection. The book would center on a trio of interrelated themes—loneliness, fear, and the passage of time—that would resonate with both younger and older readers, reflecting a spectrum of experiences that span generations.
She continued to draw from her grandmother’s resilience, seeking the positive in every event while avoiding sentimentality. “Loneliness can be harsh, but it also reveals who you are and can open doors to growth. Fear can push you to step outside the familiar and redefine what is possible. In a society that often pressures people to age gracefully without visible signs of aging, the message in the book is to empower and illuminate every phase of life,” she explains.
a lifestyle
The grandmother, Elisabeth Justice, is now 95 and living with dementia. The creator explains that the character she developed allowed her grandmother to become a central figure in a narrative that time could not erase. Each encounter with the elder woman became a reminder of the joy and companionship that inspired the project, a moment she often repeats to remind herself of the character’s importance. The grandmother’s presence in the book and in life became a beacon of connection and continued storytelling.
“I’m an admirer of the generations whose stories we sometimes overlook. The book is an invitation to reckon with the way society segments generations, and to celebrate the comfort and well-being that many now enjoy,” she shares with a hint of candid humor and quiet resolve.
In the book’s visual language, the character is powerful and expressive. The project extended beyond publishing into social impact, including collaboration with charitable organizations in Madrid for empowerment initiatives. The project extended to a town hall initiative in Soria, focusing on workshops for older women. The author envisions a statue that would recognize the character’s influence, a tribute to the many stories she has drawn before, and a testament to the power of personal storytelling to catalyze public engagement.
Dominga continues to speak about the project in public spaces, including events at Mundos bookstore and at cultural institutions. Dialogues with translators and organizers accompany these appearances, creating a bridge between audiences and the artist’s message. The schedule includes a notable event at the Valle de Elda Foundation, where discussions about the book and its themes unfold, inviting readers to reflect on the journeys that shape us as communities.
Throughout the narrative, the author remains focused on human resilience, the simple, stubborn optimism that compels people to keep creating, even in the face of aging and memory challenges. The grandmother’s story becomes a touchstone for readers, a reminder that art can be a means to preserve lived experiences and to celebrate the lives of those who teach us the most—often without saying a word. This is not merely a tale about a cartoon; it is a chronicle of living, learning, and long-lasting love, told with honesty and care .