I was a middle school student in Mrs.Lee’s art class, where she consistently encouraged students to explore different art styles and work across a wide range of mediums. What stood out to me most was how she recognized my “peculiar artistic expression” and treated it as something worth developing, rather than correcting.
Coming from an Indian cultural background, my approach to visual expression and form often differed from what felt familiar in the classroom. She welcomed that difference and encouraged me to experiment freely, whether through charcoal, watercolor, or mixed media. Her teaching gave me the confidence to trust my instincts and explore ideas that didn’t necessarily look like everyone else’s.
That confidence has carried directly into my work today. As a college student studying Industrial Design, I continue to draw from the mindset she helped instill, approaching form, material, and process with openness and curiosity. I’m comfortable working across disciplines and mediums, and I attribute much of that adaptability to her emphasis on experimentation and personal expression at an early age.
She brings a deep passion and expertise to art education, and her classroom was a place where creativity felt expansive and encouraged. I’m grateful for the foundation she provided and would strongly recommend her as an educator who empowers students to develop their own creative voice.
— Rohan Khadilkar
Industrial Design, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Class of 2026
Under the tutelage of Ms. Lee between 5th-9th grade.
Ms. Lee Art Class 