Kara Young A Lee
Kara Lee’s paintings are primarily acrylics on canvas, bursting with vibrant colors and a distinctive style that is uniquely her own. The beauty of Southern California, where Kara has been a resident since 2003, has immensely inspired her artwork. “Nature is my starting point but not my final destination,” says the artist. Kara keenly observes nature and transports her experiences onto the canvas. While she tries to re-create the feeling and essence of what caught her attention, she makes changes here and there and leaves out details.
Kara is greatly motivated by Georgia O’Keeffe’s approach, which O’Keeffe summed up as, “It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis that we get at the real meaning of things.” Transcending the visible reality of nature and the surrounding objects, she brings these elements alive with the emotional force of colors, simplicity of forms, and emphasis on the core object. Kara loves color, and working with acrylics lets her record her colorful impressions almost as quickly as her mind processes the subject. Kara describes her paintings as contemporary abstract Fauvism since they project the combined effects of the vibrant colors of the Fauves and the dynamic style of modern abstraction.
Kara’s international banking career and living and educational experiences on three continents have enriched her views on diversity and creativity. Her paintings are in private collections both locally and internationally. She is a member of Orange County Fine Arts and a signature member of the International Society of Acrylic Painters. Her entire portfolio can be viewed at her website: karaylee.com.
