We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Isaiah Lee . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Isaiah below.
Isaiah , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? Can you us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team?
Diana Rendell from The Art School (It’s literally called Art School) was one of the best bosses I ever had. She’s an artist herself and even though I had a position as an educator, she encouraged me to be an artist first and foremost. She’s the only boss I’ve had that I considered to be a friend.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
When I was little, I used to sit in church pews and scribble in the little binder that came with my bible. I’d draw superheroes and villains fighting each other right next to notes from the scriptures my mom would stash in my notebook when hers got too full. There was never a time when drawing felt inappropriate, even well into adulthood. Whether it’s in my studio, at school, or during meetings with people who determine whether I have a job, drawing is always on my mind. This is one of the bigger contributions to where I am now: I have always loved art and creativity, no matter the medium, place, or time. Despite my love for art, I shied away from my creativity and began my college journey as a business management major. That failed miserably because I realized I needed my life to revolve around art in some way, shape, or form. I weighed many options as I was afraid of getting a degree in fine arts but not having a “Plan B.” My insecurity manifested as a pursuit of being an educator since I figured that would give me a solid, consistent income and the atmosphere of art that I desired. Inadvertently, I fell in love with how a child’s mind developed artistically and watched the various stages as they grew as an artist. I loved that many children are excited to create anything with their hands and can pull things out of thin air (with a little push in the right direction). This insecurity I had became my second love. Although my first love is still my practice and my dream to work as an artist full-time, teaching has brought a new perspective of creativity into my world.
I am really just starting out in the professional world of art as there are so many more things that I want to learn and be a part of but I got my start with the Kansas City Artist’s Coalition with a small exhibition in the Midtown KC Now space. It featured a lot of the newer work that I made in college including the start of my series of paintings entitled “homestead” which were abstracted aerial view landscapes. These landscapes were an exploration of the south following the end of slavery and the affect that black people had on their surroundings stretching into the current era. During that exhibition, I got my first sale which I think was the first real start to my career and how more people came to know about my work. That sale was to the Delta Sky club in the new terminal that was being built at the time. A lot of what I do is based in history. Any era of history is fascinating to me and I use a lot of characters and important figures from literature and sacred texts in my work. Most recently, I’ve been working on a series of paintings that dive into my understanding of different biblical events. I’m going about the work in a way that inadvertently creates it’s own universe. The biggest thing that sets me apart from others is my ability to adapt and change the way I’m thinking about my practice. I am not bound by any single style so I like to flex that muscle a bit by using any material I feel is more suited for what I’m doing at the time. At the end of the day, I think I am in a sort of pursuit of being a role model and someone that people can look towards for representation. My goal is to envision characters that are somewhat relatable even when they’re in situations that may seem far off.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is getting to see other people enjoy my work. There are so many hours that go into creating a painting that once it’s finally done, it’s almost surreal seeing it somewhere else other than in your studio. I enjoy seeing people draw their own conclusions about my work and seeing themselves within the world that I created for them.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
First I think society can best support artists by not discounting the hard work that it takes to actually create art. Many things can look silly and they may be sort of silly but by assuming that art is nothing more than a pastime or hobby, you’re creating an environment that’s hostile to creativity. Second, buying the work you enjoy is really important as that artist is then expanding their network and opening doors to meet new people. Lastly, being more educated about art before making assumptions is huge. Doing a little research goes a long way. 
Contact Info:
- Website: isaiahleestudios.com
- Instagram: isaiahleeart