The Story Behind the Work

Lisa Jane — British-born artist and founder of Lisa Jane Design, creating story art from her Ohio studio

I’m Lisa — a British-born graphic designer, illustrator, and artist now creating from Ohio. After three decades shaping visual work for others, I returned to what I was always meant to make: paintings that hold real stories.

Work rooted in meaning, memory, and presence.


I don’t paint portraits.

I paint the feeling of a person, a place, a business, a memory, or a turning point.

Each piece begins by listening for what matters most, then translating that meaning into symbolism, colour, composition, and handwork — so the story can be lived with, not just looked at.

Hand-painted story art on natural wood with 24k gold leaf — Lisa Jane Design commission

The First Piece

The first story painting I ever made was for my mum.

In the hospice, a small butterfly was placed on her heart.

That quiet detail stayed with me.

After she passed, I painted a butterfly — not as decoration, but as a way of holding what words could not. I didn’t paint her portrait. I painted her essence. The feeling of her. The love. The ache. The presence that remained.


That was the moment I understood what this work really was.

Not simply painting.
Not simply design.
But a way of giving the story a place to live.


That’s when Lisa Jane Design began

Hand-painted story art on natural wood with 24k gold leaf — Lisa Jane Design commission

From My Heart to Yours

Art is my way of honoring the people, memories, and moments that shape us.

Every painting I create is rooted in story, made with care, and designed to be lived with for years to come — whether it holds a person, a family, a friendship, a business, a loss, a celebration, or a turning point.

If you have a story that deserves to live beyond words, I’d be honored to listen.