Artist Bio
Stephen Lee is a Korean-American sculptor based in Dallas, Texas. Born in South Korea and immigrating to the United States as a teenager, Lee draws from a dual set of cultural influences that inform his work both consciously and subconsciously.
He studied sculpture at Occidental College in Los Angeles and industrial design at California State University, Long Beach, leading to a 20+ year career designing consumer products and retail merchandising for companies such as KitchenAid, JCPenney, and Samsung.
In 2021, Lee returned to sculpture, bringing with him a deep skill set in 3D CAD (modeling/rendering/prototyping) and project management, which he now applies to his creative practice. His small-scale works have been exhibited at prominent art fairs across the country, and he has been awarded public art commissions in Texas and Oklahoma.
Artist Statement
I have a keen curiosity about a fundamental language that transcends words – something innate and shared across all art forms. Like musical scales or food recipes, this language can evoke powerful emotions when arranged with mastery.
Within this framework, I’ve been exploring a theme I call “elegance of complexity” through three-dimensional expressions. Layering notions such as tension, transition, pattern, dichotomy, and codependence with qualities like fragility, uncertainty and possibility, I offer a personal view of this world which I embrace.
A recent piece titled Intersignificance (mortar mix and steel) draws motifs from architectural ruins, scaffolding, and plant life. It explores the idea that meaning and existence arise not in isolation, but through relationships—however painful, precarious, or unpredictable they may be.
In the spirit of exploration, I build as though I’m drawing in space. Steel and mortar are among my primary materials, allowing me to hand-fabricate in a painterly and intuitive manner while editing with freedom. This approach helps me avoid rigidity and unlock a primordial sense of flow, resulting in organic forms rich with handmade textures - structures that I hope embody authenticity and vulnerability.
Exhibitions & Shows
2025 Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week
2025 The Palm Beach Show - Jewelry | Art | Antiques | Design
2024 Creme de la Creme, Visual Arts Guild of Frisco juried exhibition
2024 Hamptons Fine Art Fair, New York, NY
2024 Art Wynwood, Miami, FL
2023 SOLID - Texas Sculpture Association 40th anniversary juried show
2022 Materials Hard & Soft International juried show
Commissions
2024 Public Art Commission “Flight of Dreams”, A.C. Caplinger Baseball Fields, Edmond OK
2023 Public Art Commissions “Multifaceted”, Westside Art Trails, Farmers Branch TX