Artist Spotlight

BY MARISSA COTE

In this series, we highlight two of the many artists who contribute to the deep creative culture of Concord. Throughout Concord, there are many organizations dedicated to uplifting the arts and artists through exhibitions, educational programs, performances, and workspace. The Concord Museum has temporary and permanent exhibition spaces, both contemporary and historical. Concord Art has a rotating contemporary art gallery and art education that includes classes, lectures, and demos. The Umbrella Arts Center has studio space for over 50 local artists, classes, an exhibition space, and live performances. Concord also has commercial galleries to explore, such as The Garage @ Jane Deering Gallery, Lucy Lacoste Gallery, and Three Stones Gallery. If you want to see art or further your own artistic skills, you can find an excellent school, gallery, or workspace in Concord.

JAEOK LEE

Jaeok Lee has been a Sudbury resident for over forty years. Formerly working in watercolor, printmaking, and drawing, Lee’s three-dimensional practice is deeply influenced by the Korean folk art, traditions, and rituals that she grew up surrounded by. Lee says her Guardians series “taps into Korea’s cultural past,” and is rooted in the historical contexts of womanhood, motherhood, and the traditional significance of fertility for Korean women. In the past, Lee primarily focused on botanicals and nature. It was on a trip to South Korea in 2009 that Lee rediscovered the traditional stone sculpture she knew as a child. One of the sculptures, a simple rendering of a baby in stone, fascinated her, motivating her to consider making figurative work. Upon returning home, she learned she would soon be a grandmother to her first grandchild. To her, the connection between both experiences was unmistakable. She shifted focus to the figure and has held that focus ever since.

Jaeok Lee is an avid gardener and says that her garden is the center of all her creative work. Her ideal day is spent in equal parts gardening and sculpting in clay. See Lee’s work at LexArt this October, and in her solo exhibition at the Boston Sculptors Gallery in May 2022. Her work is frequently shown in juried and member exhibitions at Concord Art. jaeoklee.com

The Guardians of Fertility. Clay.

©Jaeok Lee

KAFFEE KANG

A former architect from Sudbury, Kaffee Kang spends her days painting in the home studio she designed herself and built in 2019. Her work is firmly rooted in concepts of identity, such as gender roles, minority status, the immigrant mentality, the political divide, aging, and body image. Her bright, richly colored oil paintings have a graphic quality and often incorporate distinctive patterns throughout the composition. Kang doesn’t stick to any single subject and allows ideas and interests to drive her paintings. Recently, she has been focused on hands at work that are busy with knitting, woodworking, and playing guitar.

Kaffee Kang has always wanted to be an artist. Now that she’s retired from her career in architecture, she is able to explore her passion for painting. She says, “I just don’t get bored painting at all. I never knew I would love this so much...I’m living the dream.” Kaffee’s work is a highlight of many juried shows at Concord Art. brushandlathe.com

Continental Method. Oil on canvas.

©Kaffee Kang

Marissa Cote is an interdisciplinary artist and art administrator living in Brighton, MA. She holds a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Cote is the Programs Manager at Concord Art, an arts non-profit dedicated to advancing and promoting the visual arts and artists through exhibitions, artist talks, educational programs, and more. Learn more by visiting concordart.org.