I took the long way around.

I fell in love with creating artwork outside as a little girl snuggled up next to my dad. He taught me classically- how to quickly capture gesture, expression, and to trust my eye by seeing overall vision (as it relates to proportion, shape, light, and expression). Most importantly, he taught me that life is the art of drawing without an eraser.

After school, I earned a Master’s Degree in Architecture, and then designed and managed commercial architecture projects, while raising my three kids with my husband, also an architect. At that time, I developed my ability to design and render place and environment.

Since my kids (and I) have grown up, my vision has moved away from realism - now leaning into expressing memory, movement, and connection. Through this creative shift, I began to develop my voice as an illustrator, and began focusing on creating art and literature for children. And though my work at times still includes buildings, they rarely have perfectly straight lines.

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Lisa Ikegami is an artist and author/illustrator of children’s books. She works in a variety of traditional media, from watercolor painting, alcohol ink on Yupo paper to mixed media and encaustic. She is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

Awards and accolades for her stories and illustrations include Honorable Mentions in SCBWI Florida's Rising Kite competition, 2017 and 2022, Winner of SCBWI "Draw This" November 2022, and PB Party Finalist in 2021.

Lisa’s first picture book that she wrote and illustrated, A BLANKET QUITE RARE (pub. 2015, Neptune Press) won acclaim from Midwest Book Review and “Kids First!”. Also a former violin instructor, Lisa collaborated with the director of the German Suzuki Institute and the International Music Teacher’s Exchange in 2016 to create THE JOURNEY THROUGH PRE-TWINKLE, e-book and educational materials for violin students worldwide. Her short story and illustration, “Cracker Creature” was recently published as a part of QUINN’S MONSTER’S by the “Make a Wish” Foundation. She recently completed a series of illustrated educatioinal materials teaching about native Florida bird species for Leu Gardens in Orlando.

Lisa is presently seeking representation for illustration and a number of picture books she currently has underway. She lives in Florida with her husband, golden retriever Lucky, and rabbit, Trixie. When she’s not writing or illustrating, she can be found exploring outside with a sketchbook, or playing with her new grandchildren, George and Dahlia.