@aa_ssam

Instagram: @aa_ssam

1. What's your story? Where are you from?

​Hello. I’m Lee Hyeon hee and work as an illustrator in Korea. I have loved painting since I was young. I was interested in that so I entered an art university. I lived in Seoul when I was a student and I am in the provinces after I graduated the university. Here, I am teaching painting with my personal work.

2. Tell us about your aesthetic.

I draw pictures of small pleasures that come from daily life. I want to express peaceful and happy moments like listening to music, reading books and drinking tea. I hope for people who are bored with everyday routines to be happy with my painting.

3. What is your favourite medium and why?

Actually, I like all of the tools but my favorite tool is colored pencils. I usually use them when I finish my painting. Because they help organize a complicated process drawing pictures, I feel better.

4. What is your artistic process like?

When I was inspired, I take notes. Based on that, I do drawing and paint a picture with gouache or watercolor. colored pencils are my tool finishing the painting. These days, there are effective machines like tablet pc or I-pad but I love the whole process mixing different colors and painting with a brush. Trace of brushes without intention and my slight mistake are my attractive points. I sometimes use photoshop for correcting but I prefer classic process drawing freehand.

5. Who and/or what inspires your work?

I feel happy when I oversleep on the weekend afternoons, peaceful when I drink a cup of coffee in the autumn morning. Those small things make me inspired.

6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?

When I was unhappy, I heard this, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be". This made me think about happiness that I can have now and I can express this happiness through my painting. I can find my happiness every day and live with thanks.

7. Where did you study?

I studied my major at an art university in Seoul. My major is fine arts.

8. Where do you see yourself in five years?

After 5 years, I want to have my exhibition and make a happy picture book. I still work as an illustrator.

9. What about in ten?

I don’t know what I do after 10 years. I think I will marry the person I love. Maybe, I can visit other countries to learn about different cultures and people. It can be a different environment but I’ll still draw pictures.

10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?

I want people to be comforted by looking at my painting. They can take a rest in my painting like napping.

11. Now, tell us a little more about you as a person: what is your favourite food?

I love tteokbokki

12. Favourite book?

Jean Jacques Sempe was written by Marcellin Caillou. I have it for a long time. I have read it for so many times and I feel warm and comforted whenever I read. I want to make these book

13. Favourite genre of music?

I love Mamma Mia ost.

14. What are your hobbies?

​I like talking with people in a cafe and I watch dramas or movies at dawn.

15. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?

Starbucks staff :-) I like coffee.