Ivory Yeunmi Lee

San Francisco-based artist Ivory Yeunmi Lee received her BFA and MFA from Kookmin University in Seoul. Her paintings are ironic and witty, existing on the border between fantasy and reality. While at first glance her works appear very graphic, Lee employs a variety of very traditional media, including oil, acrylic and colored pencil, to compose each piece. Each composition is centered on Lee’s concept of ‘The Garden’ as the basic matrix from which everything else in this universe originates. Executed in a lightly saturated color palette, her whimsical landscapes are inhabited by anthropomorphized plants and creatures. Despite the playful demeanor of these cartoon-like creations, it is easy to sense the darkness that lurks beneath the surface.