Jemmal Toledo

Illustrated books and hand-drawn art prints

Artist · Author · Illustrator London · Mexico City
Jemmal Toledo

Jemmal Toledo is an artist, author, and illustrator working at the intersection of imagination, emotion, and lived reality. After a decade in advertising, she left to travel, and while backpacking through Central America, survived a machete attack. She describes it not as trauma but as a turning point that permanently changed how she sees reality.

Her work explores consciousness, the body, nature, and what it means to be fully human. She is the author of two illustrated philosophical books: Creator Being (2024) and Harmonic Human (2026), handmade compilations sitting somewhere between illustrated journal, philosophy, and visual poetry.

She is the founder of Creator Being House, a digital sanctuary built around the belief that automation will handle the doing while humanity must remember the being, and Work Is Dead, a cultural platform built around the idea of a coming creative renaissance.

Based between London and Mexico City.

Say hello.

Creator Being · 2024

"Hello Jemmal. I found your book at Four Store in Shoreditch (what a beautiful place). Letting it read me. Just want to say thank you. Love."

Gonzalo — Ottawa, via Instagram

"Hi Jem, My name is Aoife. I found your book in a terrarium shop in London. I was flipping through it and every single page I opened spoke to me. At the time I was struggling financially and spent a long time in the shop debating whether I should buy it. After some time the store owner approached me. After I expressed my struggles he gifted it to me. Over the last year I have read it quite slowly but intentionally. The lessons are powerful and I hope to continue to incorporate them into my life."

Aoife — London, via email

"Hello Jem I'm Katie, it's nice to meet you. My friend Kathy Chen got in touch with you recently after I found your wonderful book in my rental apartment. I'm reading it now and love it, your words and ideas are very moving and I feel so understood just from reading your book!"

Katie — Mexico City, via Instagram

"I have never reached out to an author after reading a book before, but I really had such a strong pull towards your book, that I had to. I was on the tube reading when I had the thought that I wanted to contact you about your story, and when I finished your book and saw your contact information at the very end, it was further confirmation. This book found me at the perfect time. I went to Watkins Books for the very first time, and was about to leave with 'The Road Less Travelled' when I saw the very last copy of Creator Being. The artwork instantly caught my eye. After reading the back, I flipped through the pages and randomly chose one page. I landed on the 'Lost Trying To Find A Place In This World' illustration and it absolutely resonated with me."

Lauren — London, via email

"I am looooving your book. Today it traveled to Progreso with me. Sending you a warm sea breeze, coffee vibes & Mexican smiles."

Parvati — via Instagram

"I've been reading your book all morning. I can't put it down. Seriously, well done Jem. I'm really happy for you. I'll be taking this home and having my kids read it as well."

Daniel DeMars — via Instagram

"Flipped through the pages and knew you were the real deal. We were actually at a philosophy group when we both lived in Bali and I said 'every moment that we are living we are also dying' and that triggered some people in the group. Flipped to a page on death in your book and you basically said the same thing but in your own prose. We had full body tingles."

Kathy — Mexico City, via Instagram

"From the very first page you had me hooked. Although the context of our individual life stories are different, the emotions and 'scars' that we are left with are so very similar. The words that you spoke helped me to see light where there has been dark. The inspiration in your thoughts have helped me so much. I now know it is okay — that I will feel anxiety about the journey but that it is okay to feel anxiety. I feel like I can walk away with grace and gratitude, peace and understanding, and a strength that I have not felt before. So from one female warrior to another, from my heart to your heart. Namaste."

Reader — via WhatsApp