Busy finishing art pieces and enjoying creative endeavors, Rowena Lee ’26 can often be found in the Chadwick art room, listening to music as she draws. Surrounded by art supplies, sketchbooks, and inspiration, Lee uses the space to freely express herself.
Lee first started making art when she was five years old, and it clicked instantly. Lee’s mother is a Korean folk artist, and her mother’s influence can be felt in Lee’s own work. Art allowed Lee to connect with both her mother and her cultural background, showing how, for her, art is far more than just a hobby.
Lee came to the United States after second grade and was immediately met with culture shock. After a couple of years of adjustment, she enrolled at a small middle school. However, it was the jump from her small middle school to a slightly larger Chadwick that allowed Lee to pursue her interests.
At Chadwick, Lee takes a rigorous course load with a schedule full of AP courses, including AP 2D Art and Design as well as AP Drawing, where she uses a theme to connect her art pieces together.
Lee says, “The main theme for my pieces is fusing Korean and Western art as well as my experience with cultural assimilation. In a sense, I use art as a language to break language and cultural barriers.”
Additionally, Lee applies her art skills as an editor of the rite, a compilation of student writing and artwork that is published yearly. Besides organizing and creating art for the magazine, Lee is also a key contributor to the layout process.
Besides art class, Lee is a key participant in EcoCommunity, where she works every week to restore nature in the canyon and get away from the academic pressures of school.
Lee says, “My favorite part of Eco Club is being able to talk to different people that I would have never had the chance to talk to.” It parallels her experience with art, where she can enjoy and strengthen the relationships with the people around her.
Besides painting and drawing, Lee focuses her time on different artistic media: costume and makeup. She has been a part of every theater production on Costume Crew since her freshman year. Working behind the scenes, Lee applies makeup, prepares costumes and wigs, and helps performers with quick changes.
Alongside her during the tiring weeks of the school play, Tommy Li ’26 says, “[Lee] puts a lot of thought and effort into everything she does. She is also extremely patient, which includes her art and studies.”
Lee also participates in three-hour art classes outside of school four times per week. Working between different artistic mediums and switching between different projects gives her flexibility and autonomy.
In her art classes, Lee’s art teacher has had a tremendous impact on her art as well, becoming an inspirational figure in her life: “My teacher is really independent, and she also inspires me because of how focused she is in engaging with the activities that interest her. She has also given me advice on creative pursuits.”
Lee will be leaving sunny Los Angeles to continue her artistic and academic career at New York University, where she will be studying fine arts. She says that she “loves the energetic and busy lifestyle in New York.”
Still, knowing Lee’s hardworking and adaptable nature, it is evident that she will be sure to succeed wherever life takes her.