By Eric Zhao
“Whatever happens, happens.”
This is the life philosophy of Collingwood artist and musician, Siu Lee. Born in Korea and coming to Canada in grade five, Siu started drawing ever since he could hold a pencil and started playing trombone in grade five. As a fairly unathletic person, Siu’s interests mainly lie in the arts and in music. He spends most of his time drawing and playing music or “looking at the sky and thinking about life, art and music”, according to Siu.
This is the life philosophy of Collingwood artist and musician, Siu Lee. Born in Korea and coming to Canada in grade five, Siu started drawing ever since he could hold a pencil and started playing trombone in grade five. As a fairly unathletic person, Siu’s interests mainly lie in the arts and in music. He spends most of his time drawing and playing music or “looking at the sky and thinking about life, art and music”, according to Siu.
Hoping to be an avant-garde artist, Siu views art as anything that holds meaning to someone, and that challenges people’s thoughts and views; basically, art is a form of self-expression. In much of his art, he uses little characters as a tool for introspection. As a trombonist, his philosophy on music is that playing music is extremely similar to creating a painting, with lots of spontaneity and playfulness.
“I am thinking, in the future, that I will directly involve my music into the performance art to blend them together," Siu said.
“I am thinking, in the future, that I will directly involve my music into the performance art to blend them together," Siu said.
While Siu is usually inspired by little things that happen in daily life, his favorite artist is René Magritte, whose paintings are very philosophical, somewhat visually disturbing, but playful at the same time. He says, “I wish I could do something like him one day and still be able to maintain my originality.”
As a musician, he listens to music recordings as his main source of inspiration. In his own words, “I whistle a lot, and it is basically like doodling if you put it in terms of art. I am just constantly 'doodling' in music. And then my improvised solos are when I actually paint.”
As a musician, he listens to music recordings as his main source of inspiration. In his own words, “I whistle a lot, and it is basically like doodling if you put it in terms of art. I am just constantly 'doodling' in music. And then my improvised solos are when I actually paint.”
Siu’s favorite medium for visual art is oil paint because the colors are rich, blend easily, and dry slowly so he can work on a painting over and over again. As a member of the Senior Jazz Band, the spontaneity and playfulness of jazz make it Siu’s favourite style of music. As he says, “It's fun. I like fun things -- who doesn't?”
Recently, Siu has been accepted to perform for the Carnegie Hall Honors Orchestra in New York, which is a very selective group of students consisting of high school musicians from all over North America. As a member of the Grad Class of 2014, Siu is applying to Rhode Island School of Design and a few other universities where he hopes to study visual arts. “I am planning to either study more to get a Ph.D in visual arts and to be a university professor, or to work as a self-employed artist and to do art the rest of my life.”
Siu is also a graphic designer and a caricature artist in his spare time, and will work for food.
Recently, Siu has been accepted to perform for the Carnegie Hall Honors Orchestra in New York, which is a very selective group of students consisting of high school musicians from all over North America. As a member of the Grad Class of 2014, Siu is applying to Rhode Island School of Design and a few other universities where he hopes to study visual arts. “I am planning to either study more to get a Ph.D in visual arts and to be a university professor, or to work as a self-employed artist and to do art the rest of my life.”
Siu is also a graphic designer and a caricature artist in his spare time, and will work for food.