Rebecca Lee: Artist of the Edition

Rebecca Lee ‘21 has been creating all types of art since she was in kindergarten. It is no surprise that she has been an avid member of the Upper School Honors Art program for the past four years and continues to create with enthusiasm. Although it is clear that Rebecca has always been a creative person, she explains, “The amount of freedom that DLove has given me has allowed me to explore so many new mediums and ideas.” Mr. Love has been part of the GA Art Department for many years now, and he always encourages his students to push their boundaries.

For many artists, quarantining from March to August meant that they had no school space or materials to work with. However, Rebecca was fortunate to have many supplies at home and again credits Mr. Love for allowing her to use as many resources as she needed to get her pieces up to her standards. Rebecca says that one of her biggest challenges during the pandemic has been “getting bored of always working with acrylic,” which is her default material. To get out of this rut, she decided to use a new tactic: “I started experimenting with sculpture and everyday materials, using candy wrappers and packaging to make sculptures and painting on old folder dividers.” One of her goals this year is to finish her Academy Scholars Project, which is a three-year independent study project where students research, create, and study a specific topic of interest.  

When looking at Rebecca’s portfolio, you will see a large array of different patterns, mediums, and styles. Although all of her pieces speak for themselves, Rebecca says, “I’m definitely the most proud of my piece Sweet Remembrance. It’s like a diorama-sort sculpture I made out of snack packaging and reused cardboard. I made this piece in July after my grandfather passed away and I wanted to depict how food can transport me back to certain memories. The snacks become the image of a memory I shared with my grandfather. I really like this concept and use of materials and it’s definitely something I want to explore further.” 

Looking forward to next year, Rebecca wants to build on what she has learned as an artist over her high school career. She states, “As for the next year, I want to major in product design and hopefully study abroad. I plan to work as a designer and if I have time on the side, sell prints or work as a freelance illustrator.” With all of her talent, hard work, and dedication, it is clear that Rebecca will do great things in the future.  

Lastly, when asked about her favorite memory during the Honors Art program, Rebecca said: “One time I was late on Zoom and DLove took out a magnifying glass and started looking around, trying to find me on the Zoom.” With this lighthearted and fun-spirited approach to online teaching, she is hopeful that art will not be lost, but rather amplified, during the COVID-19 pandemic.