Lisa Downey is a freelance artist and graphic designer. A former art teacher, Lisa also attended FIT in New York, where she studied advertising and packaging design and later taught introductory packaging design classes. ¿Illustration has always been just under the surface in my career as a designer. I gained valuable skills working in packaging design firms in New York, New Jersey and Seattle, Washington; but the six year old inside was just itching to jump out and run all over the drawing board,¿ says Lisa. Although she has always been interested in illustrating children's books, it was not until she worked with an in-house design firm at a paperboard book manufacturer that she realized children's books should be her focus. The combination of illustration, design and 3D surfaces to tell a story encompasses everything she has learned and enjoys doing. Having designed packaging for children's products as well as portraiture, Lisa's style ranges from cartoonish to very representational. Her favorite medium is pastels.

In addition to illustrating Julie the Rockhound and Happy Birthday to Whooo?, Lisa works with illustrators to design the cover, layout, and flow for all Sylvan Dell books. Lisa lives in the SC Lowcountry, with her very supportive husband, Len, and their cats; Pom Pom and Ophelia.