I’m pleased to recommend Ms. Lee. As a past student of Ms. Lee’s, I’ve found that her expertise, vigor, and unwavering belief in all of her students forges confidence and skillfulness in her mentees. These traits and skills elevate those under her tutelage to achieve great things.
As a high school student, I was taught by Ms. Lee for 2 years in her class. There were multiple middle to high school students in her class, at different points in our artistic journeys. Despite the wide range of mediums, styles, and skill levels, Ms. Lee remarkably balanced individualized attention with a cohesive learning environment, offering precise, meaningful guidance that supported each student’s unique growth. Her passion for art making and energetic approach inspired each student to see a worthy artist within themselves, as well. She herself is an incredibly experienced artist, and knows how to make complex foundational concepts for art digestible for younger students.
Ms. Lee pushes her students to create outside of their comfort zones. Her unique curriculum firmly built for me the foundations of what makes a piece stellar, and helped me capture that for myself using just charcoal before I pursue any desired mediums with her additional support. As I moved to watercolor painting, both abstract and realistic, I realized how important those basics learned through her purposeful medium-restrained instruction were in helping me see colors in a way I had never approached analytically or meaningfully before. The abundant artistic concepts and skills gained with only these two mediums, substantially refined my artistic sensitivity and enabled me to find my own artistic voice. This is exceptional art education experience!
Through her class, I was pushed to venture into sculpture, ink work, acrylic, pastels, color pencil, and even animation. Although not mediums I would have reached for on my own, Ms. Lee’s tutelage strengthened me to try new things. Her class emphasizes personal ambition and critique—there were no easy answers with her. She encouraged us to find out for ourselves why a piece was good or bad, pushing us to become both creative and critical thinkers.
A highlight of my learning with her was creating animated work related to my background in Hong Kong. I was unsteady making art about the political and cultural conflict ongoing there. It was a dear subject matter. Ms. Lee identified that wish in me, and guided me to make work I am proud of to this day. By talking with me about what I wanted to express and how it should look, together we realized pieces I never dreamed I could make on my own. These pieces were submitted to many art institutions in my portfolio and resulted in acceptances to RISD, Pratt Institute, UCSB, and more. Ms. Lee was committed to assisting the process of my portfolio creation. Her care for my college preparation was even sacrificial at times, even staying up late on nights when she didn’t have to, to provide feedback. Studio hours would stretch from the morning into the evening, yet her encouragement was steadfast.
Today, I am happily learning at Pratt Institute, yet I still find her foundational lessons guiding me. Professors at my institution have been surprised by my solid artistic foundation, even complimenting specific skills I learned from Ms. Lee. In just 2 years, her class shaped how I look at, speak about, and create art–I can only imagine the skills and depth I’d have developed from starting her class in middle school. The adventurous spirit and confidence in my artistic journey that she fostered in me have also prompted me to study overseas.
Ms. Lee’s breadth of artistic knowledge is truly wonderful and opens access for students to learn about past masters and what made their work great. It should be noted that Ms. Lee is not only a fantastic teacher but a lifelong learner herself. She approaches work and her students with a curiosity and willingness to try and discover new things. She is adaptable, patient, joyful, and thoughtful, and is uniquely suited to assist younger students. Her ability to recognize and nurture individual potential makes her a kind and trustworthy teacher. I recommend her without reservation.
— Rachel Zhang
Sophomore at The Pratt Institute (January, 2026)
Under the tutelage of Ms. Lee between 11th-12th grade.
Ms. Lee Art Class 