Hatterman was born in Amsterdam as an only child in a large house on the Middenweg in the Watergraafsmeer district.

Her father was an accountant with Mirandolle, Voûte & Co. She drew and painted from a young age and followed an education at the gymnasium.

She slowly formed the idea of going to Paramaribo to open a school and begin creating such illustrations, but was delayed by the war.

She taught many students to draw and paint, and notable pupils were Armand Baag and Ruben Karsters.

Nola Hatterman is best known for her portraits of people of color, but she also made still-life paintings and illustrations for magazines.