m.Lee Fine Art

I am a fine art printmaker living in Boston, Massachusetts with my husband and too many pets. My studio is in my home where I create each piece by hand.

While I was in college I spent a lot of time experimenting with different artistic mediums. I discovered printmaking during this time and while I always loved the process I was frustrated by the constraints placed on me by my instructors. They would insist on constraining me to a lengthy process that allowed for very limited experimentation. My frustrations with this methodology lead me to believe that I wasn't cut out for printmaking in spite of how much I loved it.

I discovered woodcuts which have since become my favorite medium in July of 2005 after taking a class in experimental printmaking at Mass Art. After the class was over I started what was to become a long and very productive creative streak. At times I was working twelve hours a day on my art-carving wood and creating new prints.

My current works are multi-layer, multi-block woodcut prints arranged in an untraditional manner. I have gotten away from the printmaking methods that were taught to me in college have begun to focus on creating one of kind images instead of editions of the same image. I start this process by carving a block of wood that is larger than the paper that I will use with some sort of intricate background pattern. Some patterns that I have used are numerous circles, a honeycomb pattern and tree leaves. I will then use smaller images that I have carved to create layers on top of these patterns to bring focus to the final print.

I find that the printing process is a time for me to play with my colors and composition since I do only minimal sketching. I think of my printing press as a sketchbook. I use it to bring my ideas together as I work. This gives me the freedom to improvise during the production of my pieces without feeling as though I'm rejecting a plan or any preconceived notion of how the piece is supposed to turn out. I prefer not to plan my pieces because I find that it is often more rewarding to just let the process lead me where it leads me. Thus far I feel as though it has lead me to some very exciting places.