Lisa Vandegrift Davala was born in 1952 in Norristown, Pennsylvania. From 1970 to 1972, she apprenticed to muralist Roger. L Steinhauer. After studying at Tyler School of Art of Temple University, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting in 1975. In 1972, she was awarded the Vira I. Heinz Grant for European study and travel, attended the Aegean School of Fine Arts in Paros, Cyclades, Greece, and École de Mime Potash, studying with Thomas Leabhart in Montpellier, France in 1973. She apprenticed to painter Richard Callner from 1973 to 1975. Vandegrift Davala moved to Ireland in 1975 and directed a company involved in architectural restoration, decoration, signwriting, gilding, and color consulting for nine years. In 1984, she was recognized by the Irish President for Outstanding Contribution to Architecture and Design. While in Europe, the artist was represented by Gimple Fils, London. She has exhibited in London, Leningrad, Ireland, and the U.S. Vandegrift Davala was awarded First Prize at the Fenderesky Exhibition, Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1987. In 1990, the artist returned to the United States.

In 1991, the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Armounted a twelve-year retrospective of her work, for which she received the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation Award. Her work appears in private collections in England, Greece, Ireland, Malaysia, Spa, and the United States, the National Library of Ireland, and the Berman Museum of A. .L Vandegrift Davala has worked with over twenty students and apprentices in her studio since 1985.