| Lee is a graduate of the Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore, Maryland. His education at the Schuler School provided a classical foundation in figure drawing, sculpture, anatomy, portraiture, and still life painting. By stretching canvases, applying glue sizing and lead primer, grinding pigments with black oil, and producing Maroger medium Lee has continued a legacy that began in the 16thcentury.
In addition to the techniques of applying paint, the Schuler School's emphasis on drawing, value, temperature, and color has enabled Lee to paint a wide variety of subjects. This ability has allowed him to gain recognition as a painter of landscapes, florals, figures, portraits, and still lifes. He won the Excellence in Still Life Award at the 2010 National OPA Exhibition in Scottsdale, Arizona. His still lifes have also been awarded the Editor's Choice Award from American Art Collector magazine and the Pioneer in Realism Award from the International Guild of Realism. His florals, landscapes, and portraits have earned him over a dozen awards from Artists' magazine, and five from International Artist magazine. His work has also garnered awards from Southwest Art, the Art Renewal Center, the American China Oil Painting Artist League, and major exhibitions nationally.
Lee has been featured in several publications, including the books "100 Ways To Paint Flowers And Gardens" and "Incite4: Relax. Restore. Renew." In 2012, International Artist magazine did a 12-page feature story on the artist. A feature article also appeared in American Art Collector magazine in 2005. His illustrations were used for an article in "War Cry," the Salvation Army magazine, and as cover art for two books. Lee's commissioned portraits can be found in corporate office buildings and schools including the Gilman School in Baltimore and the Mead Johnson corporate headquarters in Chicago.
Although his work has always had a nostalgic focus, including vintage toys, diners and steam trains, his paintings in recent years have encompassed larger themes. In 2013 he introduced, "Black Gold," paintings that brought to life the monumental story of early oil exploration. The paintings were prized by collectors who had ties to the oil industry, and by others who appreciated the compositions and figures at work. The series is now marketed as "American Heritage."
In 2015, Lee turned his attention to Native American history. Uniquely capable at both landscape and trompe l'oeil (realism to "fool the eye"), he painted modern western scenes and vintage "photos" of American Indians to look as though they were real photographs taped on top of finished landscape paintings. In this way he "returned" Native Americans to their traditional lands in the modern landscape, positioning them in such a way that they seemed to belong in the scene. The series is titled, "Spirits Of The American West."
In 2016, Lee created the "Silk and Steel" series which features paintings with women dressed in 1940's "Rosie The Riveter" style costume. The women are posed in a railroad setting and at work on steam trains, steam tractors, and a railway workshop. The series not only honors the women who entered the work force during World War II but reflects the skills and work ethic of contemporary female workers. While continuing to expand on these recently developed themes, Lee has also begun to focus on the Navajo Indians of Monument Valley as well as scenes from a working cowboy ranch in Arizona. These interpretations began in 2017 with portraits of four generations of the Salazar and Yazzie Navajo families and a visit with Dave Daiss of Sonoita Grasslands Ranch.
Lee has a working studio in his home and a teaching studio, which can accommodate up to 10 students. His ability to paint a variety of subject matter makes him particularly effective as an instructor, enabling him to assist students with any genre.
He is a signature member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society, Allied Artists of America, and Oil Painters of America. He is a juried member of the International Guild of Realism and a member of the Art Renewal Center.
Lee is represented by galleries in Tulsa, Oklahoma |Carmel, California | Annapolis, Maryland | Dallas, Texas | Fredericksburg, Texas | Mesa, Arizona
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