Hi, I'm Demi.
I am an artist and writer who started later in life. I was born and raised in Japan. When I moved to the US after graduating from university, I put aside my childhood dream of becoming an artist/writer. But finally, after many years, in 2016, I started taking art classes. In 2019, I took a comic course, which led me to make my first mini-comic, The Pigeons of Los Angeles, for which I received a 2021 MICE Mini-Grant Award from the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo. This encouraged me to make my second comic, Mourning Doves Are People, Too, which also won a MICE Mini-Grant in 2022.
My books are for those who want to create a better world. For me, a better world is where people know, accept, and love who they are and pursue their dreams. I have created comics about pigeons and mourning doves, self-help guides, and a journal based on Alice in Wonderland. They may seem unrelated at first, but they share the same underlying theme: seeking a better world. (It isn't easy sometimes, is it?) If you are also a seeker, I would like to invite you into my world. I hope my books give you the encouragement and hope that I received when creating them.
I have attended a dozen Indie Comic and Book Festivals in LA, Boston, Toronto, Vancouver, Harrogate (UK), and Edinburgh.
My comic books are also available at these local bookstores in Los Angeles:
- Kinokuniya Books in Little Tokyo & The Bloc (DTLA)
- Golden Apple
- Mega City One
- The Library Store at Los Angeles Central Library
I live in Los Angeles with my partner and the mourning doves who visit every day.
If you would like to stay in touch, I am on Instagram (@PagesByDemi). I also send newsletters with my latest projects, upcoming comic fairs & book signings, and special offers, so please sign up ⬇️
Hope to see you!