I’m Laraine (Alisa) Herring, author, illustrator, and retired professor of creative writing and psychology.
My work incorporates whimsy, existential angst and anxieties, and hauntings to explore what it means to be human. I primarily illustrate animals (cats and bunnies are my favorites!) I returned to illustration after a forty-year hiatus after I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017. My first illustrated book, The Grief Forest: a book about what we don’t talk about, was released in 2021 from White River Press. The second book in the series, The Grief Carnival: a book about what we don’t talk about, was released in 2026.
I am interested in the intersection of art and healing, especially how art can help us navigate grief.
A look into the cats of lalisa art!
Below are examples of a variety of digital illustrations and collages featuring cats! Because they are digital, I can produce products of a variety of sizes, ranging from postcards and greeting card sets, to matte posters and stretched canvases. All work is original, and created on Procreate on the iPad.
No AI use of any kind.
