Lee’s body of work is multi-faceted in its subject matter and its qualities have been variously described as symbolic, metaphorical, magical, thoughtful, mythic, dream-like, hypnotic, rhythmic, intriguing, evocative, witty, decorative, sinister, timeless and so on! Sometimes his work fuses influences from past times to create a kind of contemporary classicism, but above all, the repeating patterns found in the natural world have always held a fascination.
Despite his strong powers of observation and agility and enjoyment in rendering detail, technical perfection or realism are not his primary concern. The broad term of ‘stylised realism’ may best sum up his technique/style, where often the formal element of texture or pattern is emphasised above others, along with subtle use of colour, to heighten mood and meaning. The overriding aim is to fuse style and content in ways to convincingly transport the viewer to another world in a language people understand.
