My work explores the space between the seen and the unseen, using familiar imagery to create quiet, contemplative moments. Through removal, repetition, and illusion, I create forms that hover between presence and absence. Influenced by minimalism and the shared language of pop culture, the work invites viewers to complete the space, turning observation into active participation.
Stephen Eric Lee (E.LEE) (b.1980, Bloomington, Illinois) is a visual artist known for large-scale murals and illusionistic paintings that invite viewers into imaginative worlds. His work balances playfulness with precision, often drawing from pop culture, art history, and storytelling traditions. E.LEE earned his BFA from Millikin University in 2002. Based in Central Illinois, E.LEE has exhibited internationally and created public art across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. His practice explores the space between viewer and artwork, turning the frame into a stage and the viewer into the subject.
E.LEE’s current exhibition, Tiptoe Through the Window, invites viewers into a quiet, enchanted world where nostalgia and storybook magic meet with a sense of reverence. Inspired by the visual language of animated classics, E.LEE creates spaces of stillness, wonder, and reflection. The exhibition becomes a place to remember, reconnect, and gently tiptoe back to where it all began.
