Biography
Stella Zee’s work is a synthesis of her global heritage. Born in Shanghai and raised in
HongKong, she began her early artistic training under the guidance of her grandfather, a
renowned calligrapher. This early immersion in ink and line established the philosophical and
expressionistic style that defines her practice today. As an early teen, the family relocated to
Brazil, where she was influenced by its exuberant tropical vegetations and vibrant light. She
came to college in the United States and further earning an MFA in Painting and Drawing from
the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work explores the interplays of light, rhythm,
space and memories, focusing on themes of vulnerability and resilience.
Art Statement
My work moves between inner and outer landscape, shaped by light, rhythm and memory. It is
an ongoing search for places of safe refuge. Having lived across continents and cultures, I carry
both their shared threads and their dissonance. From this in-between state, I create environments
not only for people, but also for other sentient beings who co-inhabit the earth with us. Animals
and birds can also appear as spirit guides, drawn from my study of Native American spirituality.
Once expansive in scale, my work now ranges from mid size to small. Smaller paintings ask the
viewer to slow down, to enter by way of attention rather than physical immersion.
Working primarily in oil and egg tempera, I build surfaces that allow light to emerge from
within.