Hello, I am Lisa Shao I’m an illustrator from OCAD. I create illustrations and visual spaces inspired by movement, quiet emotions, memory, and human connection. My work is drawn to small moments that are difficult to explain in words — softness, loneliness, comfort, and the feeling of being emotionally present beside others. Through gentle colours, organic forms, and narrative imagery, I hope to create work that feels emotionally breathable and welcoming. Having lived across different places and cultures, I often reflect on belonging and the emotional atmosphere of shared spaces.
Mother Nature
Opaque watercolour on paper, 10.2 × 7 in, 2024
Mother Nature was created during a time when I felt a bit unsupported, but also slowly met people who gave me encouragement. In the painting, a figure holds flowers that give life to a small creature, which gently begins to drift away. I see this figure as a soft and warm presence—a place to rest and feel safe, like a reminder that support still exists. At the same time, the moment is about moving on. The creature does not stay, but carries that warmth with it. For me, this work connects to the idea of “home” as something not fixed, but something we carry inside. Even when I leave a place, that sense of care and support can still stay with me.
Prophesy (The Orange Cat)
Opaque watercolour on paper, 8.5 × 11 in, 2024
Prophesy comes from a dream where I saw something others could not—a large orange cat that appeared quietly under a tree. In the painting, the cat exists between appearing and disappearing, while mask-like forms surround a space that feels like a threshold between inner and outer worlds. I used different materials like salt, alcohol, and masking fluid to create textures that feel unstable and slightly unpredictable. The warm evening tone also came from an unexpected change during the process, which made the scene feel more suspended in time. To me, this piece is about that feeling before something happens—when the future is unclear, but you sense a shift coming. It’s a quiet kind of anticipation that encourages me to keep moving forward.
Dream Journey
Mixed media on paper, 17 × 25 in, 2025
Dream Journey combines images from my dreams, travels, and personal memories. Around the central figure, five mirror-like frames hold scenes from different places, including my hometown, Malaysia, and Japan. Each one reflects a different feeling—growth, calmness, curiosity, or quiet reflection. The girl reaches toward a blue dragonfly, which for me represents change and a kind of response from nature. It feels like trying to connect with something just slightly out of reach. During the process of making this work, I slowly realized that not everything can be controlled, and that understanding comes gradually. This piece feels like a process of self-reflection, where different moments come together and help me return to a more peaceful state within myself.