Lilla Rogers, Founder

Lilla is the founder of Lilla Rogers Studio, an innovative and visionary art agency that represents dozens of artists from around the world. The Studio has sold art for products worth over $300 million, for clients including Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, Chronicle Books, the New York Times, Blue Q, Godiva, Warner Brothers, IKEA, Target, Penguin Random House, and hundreds more.

All told, Lilla has been in the business for over four decades: now an art agent, she was formerly a professional illustrator with hundreds of clients worldwide, including Rolling Stone, Vogue Magazine, the GRAMMYS, major book publishers and top ad agencies.

Read more about Lilla here.

Susan McCabe, Senior Agent

Here’s how it all started: I attended Boston College (English Literature/Philosophy) and graduated wondering what I was going to do with the rest of my life! At 19, I had the opportunity to head to Idaho to open an ice-cream shop so I jumped at the chance! I’ve hiked the Sawtooths, traveled down the Snake and Columbia Rivers in a speed boat, road my bike in the Pacific Northwest, England, Ireland and Scotland, traveled to Europe and finally settled in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district for a few years.
Professionally, I plied my talents in graphic design working for High Technology magazine, Random House, and Inc. magazine, which focused on small businesses.

It was at Inc. magazine where I fell in love with illustration and I confirmed my affinity for business endeavors. Inc. was buying a lot of terrific illustration at the time, and it was while there that I first commissioned work from top international illustrators, including several Lilla Rogers Studio artists. I then freelanced as art director for Body & Soul magazine. I went on to work at Harvard Business Review as an Associate Art Director, where again I enjoyed assigning illustration. I’ve also had the pleasure of working for Tufts Office of Publications, Harvard University’s JFK School of Public Leadership and a wide variety of clients.

I was delighted to meet Lilla in person in 2005, and she offered me the opportunity of a lifetime—representing talented artists! Growing the studio with Lilla and helping artists earn a living continues to be satisfying and rewarding. Not to mention a hellava lot of fun!

Q: What do you love about being an agent? 
I love facilitating creativity and seeing the amazing visions of our artists. I love problem solving, design, numbers, color and seeing 2-D art go 3-D when it’s used on products that I can drink out of or wear! I love the business piece of running an agency such as strategizing how we can grow the business and increase opportunities for our artists.

Q: How is Lilla Rogers Studio a unique agency?
LRS is unique in that Lilla leverages her love of teaching and mentoring. She wants the artists to learn new things and stretch their muscles. It’s never routine here, there is always another great idea waiting to be pursued.

Q: How did your “past life” inform your work as an agent?
As a former art director, I know what clients look for in their commissions and licenses. I’ve enjoyed working with many different personalities which has been a terrific asset in this business. Having come from the “other side”, I can see both sides of the creative coin.

Q: If you could go anywhere for a week, where would you go? Who would you bring?
Just a week? I’d have to say Paris as I have never spent any time in France other than on a train passing through to Belgium. I’d go with my husband. If you’d give me month, I’d say Vietnam and Thailand.

Kim Fleming, Agent

My life has always been colored by the artistic world in some way. As a youngster, I was always the one drawing in the corner, filling sketchbooks, and spending my Saturday mornings at art classes.

I studied graphic design, illustration, and animation at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, and this has influenced the many directions my life has taken — I have been fortunate to wear many hats in my career.

I started out animating children’s games for clients such as Mattel and Hasbro, back in the day of frame-by-frame hand-drawn animation. This is where I really cut my teeth and developed some illustration chops. Then, I moved to Australia where I discovered the wonderful world of children’s books! I began a career in children’s book illustration, while working part-time doing graphic design.

During this period, I took the 2nd ever MATS A&B classes and have been hooked on Lilla Rogers Studio ever since! I have always been very grateful for the wisdom and guidance LRS gives to the illustration community, and am very excited to be part of that force.

Q: What do you love about being an agent?
I  love giving back to an industry I am passionate about, and helping artists achieve their creative dreams. And Lilla’s Retreat is pretty awesome too!

Q: How is Lilla Rogers Studio a unique agency?
Firstly, LRS invests whole-heartedly in the careers of their incredible artists. They are given personal one-on-one attention whenever needed, whether it be to talk through a challenge on a particular job, or for advice guiding the broader brush strokes of their career path. Not many agencies offer this personal attention.

And secondly, LRS gives a similar gift to the illustration community as a whole. Through Lilla’s Make Art That Sells courses and personal reviews, participating illustrators are granted a level of professional feedback that is invaluable.

Q: How does your “past life” inform your work as an agent?
I have been on both sides of this role, as commissioner and as artist. I am empathic to the needs of both, and able to walk the communication tightrope to keep everyone happy and functioning at optimum level.

Additionally, I’m super passionate about the children’s book industry, and love putting my knowledge and experience into practice.

Q: If you could go anywhere for a week, where would you go? Who would you bring?
One adventure on my bucket list is the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail through Spain and parts of France and Portugal. I could only do part of it in a week, but that would probably be enough, haha. I would love to take my husband and son. What an amazing family adventure!

TESIMONIALS

“Thank you so much Kim. You are great at keeping in touch and promptly replying!”

“Kim, I wanted to thank you for your wonderful communication throughout this time and I will definitely be reaching out again for other illustrators that you represent.”

 

Riley Wilkinson, Agent and Inventor - Toys and Games

As a child, I’d escape into dollhouse rooms, drawings, composition books, and my room filled with stuffed animals. My family lived in 3 states, 10 homes, and I went to 5 elementary schools. Imagination and creative experiences shaped me! Those memories have driven my career in toys, games, and educational activities for kids. 

My educational background is a cauldron of interests. Early on, I studied photography, design, and journalism in Arizona and Los Angeles. My undergrad is in English, which I capped off with a Masters in Humanities and Creative Writing emphasis from Mount St. Mary’s in Los Angeles.

Along the way, I’d leave work and head to Art Center and UCLA for night refreshers in studio photography, illustration, and product design.

In Los Angeles, my children’s products career began. I worked for McGraw-Hill children’s imprint, Lakeshore, MGA, Educational Insights, Maker Media, American Girl/Mattel Creations, and now Lilla Rogers Studio.

Q: What do you love about being an agent?
Here’s what makes me tick: creating something from nothing. Seeing what an artist or designer unearths from their idea files makes me so happy. Those ideas then become successful products. Challenges are like gasoline in my engine: I help business leaders identify a need or business gap, and then we fix it. So really, I suppose I love problems. Problems were born to be fixed.

Q: How is Lilla Rogers Studio a unique agency?
Lilla has created a studio of original artists who bring their one-of-a-kind boutique style to their work. There is no other agency like Lilla’s. The team knows the industry, they listen, and they’re NICE! I’ve always salivated over the LRS aesthetic and clever artists. Besides the studio, Lilla has built a giant world of student talent through her Make Art That Sells platform.

I was a Make Art That Sells student for years and became a member of the Lilla groupies. The Home Décor and Bootcamps really stretched me as an artist and exposed me to thousands of artists!

Q: How did your “past life” inform your work as an agent?
As a Creative Director Art Director, and Designer for over 25 years, I’ve learned from smart businesspeople.  Sales reps, business executives, publishers, sales reps, and brand managers have partnered with me and my teams to create products that sell and delight. Managing talented teams of artists and art directors showed me how to spot talent and solve problems.

Q: If you could go anywhere for a week, where would you go? Who would you bring?
I’d visit Paris again and I’d bring my entire family. Those street baguettes loaded with ham and butter are the food of my dreams. We’d buy secondhand bric-a-brac and do the touristy boat ride along the Seine. Of course, you had to ask this question! I’ll have to phone my travel agent this afternoon.

Read more about Riley Here.

Julia Parker, Financial Manager

I love working at LRS because I get to help creative people make a living at what they love to do. One of my favorite things is cutting fat checks for artists! When I earned my two Bachelor degrees (including a BFA from MassArt) I had no idea how well it was preparing me for all I do at LRS, from bookkeeping and booking trade shows, to doing machine embroidery with Lilla on our Janome and having fun alongside our artists at a creative retreat. When I’m not taking care of business here at the Studio, you’ll find me sewing, quilting, refinishing furniture, ocean swimming—or trying to keep up with my 9-year-old’s hobbies!

Patty O’Neill, Studio Assistant

I’m an MBA turned yoga teacher and studio assistant here at LRS. Lilla leads our team with integrity and passion, and inspires staff and artists to live into our FULL potential. We are encouraged to think positively, practice spirituality and self discovery which is what I practice in my life. I feel very aligned with Lilla and her vision for the Studio, making the workplace a “garden” for growth and transformation for everyone, both artists and staff. In addition to my work at the Studio, I enjoy traveling, cooking, sewing, knitting, and watching Netflix—but I prefer to be outside exercising!