After a career in architecture and fine art, Lisa wrote and illustrated A BLANKET QUITE RARE in 2015, shifting her focus to children's literature. This title won rave reviews with Midwest Book Review, and Kids First, and was loved in a variety of school settings from art to classroom and special needs. Lisa then collaborated with the International Music Teacher’s Exchange in 2016 to create images and concepts for THE JOURNEY THROUGH PRE-TWINKLE.
Working in a variety of traditional media, including watercolor painting, pencil, and mixed media, her illustrations have won many awards including Winning SCBWI Worldwide “Draw This” Nov. 2022 and Honorable Awards in SCBWI Florida’s Rising Kite Competitions.. Her publications also include "Cracker Creature" a part of QUINN’S MONSTER’S for the the “Make a Wish” Foundation and THE JOURNEY THROUGH PRE-TWINKLE for the International Music Teachers’ Exchange. She recently completed a series of illustrated educatioinal materials teaching about native Florida bird species for Leu Gardens in Orlando.
Lisa's new picture book, DUKE IS A THIEF, will be released Oct. 2026 by Orange Blossom Publishing. Presently seeking representation for several picture books she has polished and underway, Lisa's also writing a middle grade novel.
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 grandchildren, George and Dahlia.
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).
Our trips to the art store were like going to Wonka’s chocolate factory, and Dad was actually named Charlie. Keeping loose and light was the only thing that was important, and getting messy was encouraged. New crayons were to be peeled and halved to use them as pastels, pens were preferable to pencils, and starting lightly was paramount. 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. I was drawing a lot of straight lines, and using the eraser and the “delete” button when I needed to.
Since my kids (and I) have grown up, my vision has moved away from “perfection” - I’m now again leaning into that vision my Dad taught me so long ago. My heart leaned into a child’s perspective, and I began to develop my voice as an illustrator. And though my work at times still includes buildings, they rarely have perfectly straight lines. I find the old lessons still ring true - my vision comes through best when I don’t use an eraser.
(above) “Disney 50 Sketches #13, 2022,
Lisa Ikegami
(above) Page from GROWING UP IN THE 30’s (dedicated to. me and my sister, as yet unpublished) by Charles Geotis (Dad), circa 1972