SUSAN LEE

Susan E. Lee is a Korean artist born in 1932. She moved to the United States in 1970 and lived in Hattiesburg, Mississippi until 1986. She also visited Columbus on many occasions between 1982 and 2010. She began her painting career in her late 50s upon her return to Korea in 1986. At that time, she studied under the guidance of renowned painter, Cho Eunsook.

Due to her diligence and love of painting, in a decade or so her work began to be received favorably within her sphere of local artists in Korea. Later, she began to be invited to join numerous group exhibitions, both at home and abroad. She was most active in the 2000s and some of her major accomplishments include:

The ‘Grim Sarang’ Artist Club Annual Exhibitions (2001-2008) – Served as the president of the club

The 24th Korea Modern Art Festival (2003) - Won the Special Award (3rd Highest Award at Festival)

The 25th Korea Modern Art Festival (2004) - Won the Achievement Award

Selected for The Seoul International Contemporary Art Fair (2004), Sponsored by the Dept. of Culture and the Dept. of Foreign Affairs

Modern Art Booth Show in the Korea Trade Center (2004)

Korean Embassy’s Invitational Contemporary Art Fair (Canberra, Australia 2006)

Susan Lee is also a poet. She majored in Korean literature at Dongguk University and published many poems in the leading literary magazines in Seoul.

After moving back to Korea in 1986 and beginning her painting career, Susan Lee would often visit her daughter’s family in Columbus. You will see a few of her paintings reflecting native Mississippi flora, such as dogwood blooms. As her painting career evolved, she signed her name in different ways. Her name in Korea was Lim Seongsoon. Koreans place what we consider their last name first and keep their maiden names. When she moved to the United States in 1970, she went by Susan rather than Seongsoon and used her husband’s last name, Lee. Some of her paintings are signed either Susan E. Lee, Susan or Soon.