We recently connected with Gabby Lee and have shared our conversation below.
Gabby, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
One of the most meaningful projects I had the privilege to work on was Threads of Justice with the Asian American Advocacy Fund. In this project, 12 artists were asked to explore what it means to be an Asian American living in the South. Using denim jackets as our canvases, each artist repurposed the jackets to represent our unique visions of the topic.
In my jacket, I expressed themes of hope and love for family through the language of Korean art. These are themes that are prevalent in many immigrant stories, and is also personal to mine as well. I was so proud to share my Korean heritage in this work, and to be a part the discussion about our experiences and hopes for the future. Each artist came from different backgrounds with vastly different perspectives, but through this project I saw how connected we were as a community. Just as the name of this project, Threads of Justice suggests, each of us were one part of a vast tapestry of woven threads that is our community.
Gabby, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi! My name is Gabby, and I am an illustrator and background artist.
I got into the creative field after watching the movie Up as a student. I always loved animation as a child, but I never imagined it as a career. When I watched the movie, I was so moved by the story, the colors, and designs that all worked cohesively tell the story. I set off on my creative journey soon after, seeking to move my audience as Carl and Russell’s journey to Paradise Falls had moved me.
I love bringing life to a story through design. In my process, I usually start from a feeling I want to convey and then I come up with a story to bring those emotions to life. Using color and atmosphere as my tools for storytelling, I often plan out the rough color scheme and lighting in the early stages, My work is primarily digital, but I love incorporating traditional textures with the vibrancy of digital painting for a storybook look to my illustrations.
Most of my inspiration comes from my childhood that I interpret through my current perspective. I hope to keep creating works that people of all ages can find joy in.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I think creative work is so meaningful because we are able to share a part of ourselves with our audience and connect with each other through them. Many of my works are inspired from my experiences. I try my best to translate them in my paintings through the colors I use and the atmosphere. Even if it may not be the same emotions I was feeling when I drew the piece, it is so rewarding to be able to share my experience through my work and hear that someone was able to feel something from it.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
It took me a long time to learn that there was no right or wrong way to draw. When I started drawing, I expected there to be certain steps and an order to how things needed to be done. But I learned that there is no one way to do things, and it is okay to draw a certain way because you like it more than another.
I started cornering myself to one process because I thought it was the right way, but I learned that it limited my ability to experiment. Many artists I admire are so unique because they have their own approach to how they work, and it is because we all see and understand the world in a different way. There is so much beauty in the diversity that is offered through art. Once I unlearned this, I started to feel more joy in the uncertainty of experimentation and the constant journey that is finding my voice in my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gabbart.net
- Instagram: @gabbart_
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabbylee417/
Image Credits
EWANG Photography