If you know me you know I'm always thinking about art and artfulness. When it comes to incorporating creativity into the home, I love finding paintings and ways to showcase sculpture and artisan items in a seamless way, especially in kitchens and baths. I recently attended ICFF Florida (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in Fort Lauderdale and right off the bat I noticed the amazing work of Lee Brock! She makes original digital paintings directly on metal which makes them a natural for the heart of the home. I thought it would be fun to get to know her.
Paris Rain from Lee Brock Art & Design Paris Collection
AK- What is your inspiration?
Music, culture, history, nature, science, good design and other artists. Making art centers me, like meditation, it is cleansing for me.
AK- Do you accept custom commissions? What is the process for this type of order?
Yes, I do. At this time I am only offering commissioned work with the digital process. The digital images in my catalogs can have custom color themes applied to them, with outcomes dependent on the file type. A discussion in person is always a great way to get a commission started. My studio is in Fort Lauderdale and is a good place for a meeting. That said, communication can also be over the internet. The biggest hurdle with the digital files is getting the colors correct. It is important that samples from the print company I am working directly with are actually seen - in the clients hands - during the process. These are printed on PVC and are part the overall cost. I am always open to creating new designs for clients who have some particulars in mind.
"Box Full of Winter" It's not what you think it is!
AK- Do you have a favorite piece?
Right now it is “Box Full of Winter” (above). Most viewers see a bouquet of flowers, which is fine, but it is really about air-conditioning. For me it portrays that feeling of coming into a lovely air-conditioned building after being out in the hot tropical weather of South Florida.
Lee Brock, she also does works on paper. Here she is with her silkscreen prints
AK- What is your background and how did you get into making prints on aluminum?
I grew up in the US and in Europe. I had a natural ability to draw realistically early on. In my teens I discovered abstract expressionism and have been exploring it in many mediums ever since. However, I pursued cooking as a career and not art. I spent some 30 years making art with food. Privately I continued to paint and draw. I left cooking in 2012 and got an associate degree in graphic design at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale. Three years ago I started painting digitally on an iPad while I was traveling. Printing these digital images on the white aluminum came about from exploring the commonly used substrate options available. None of the other finishes created the clean modern look I wanted. One day I was discussing options at a print company I work with and I saw a white aluminum sign blank, the kind that is used for street signs. Eureka! The bright white gloss finish reflects ambient light and color, adding a subtly changing effect into the printed design. I choose images that will work well with this effect. Being waterproof and washable are added benefits I hadn’t thought of.
Riverside from the New York Collection
AK- I have seen your beautiful catalog. Do you work on any other materials besides aluminum?
Yes I do. I love painting and drawing on paper. I often like to work fast and automatically and paper is perfect for that. I am not painting on canvas with oil at this time because of space restraints. I am painting on canvas with acrylic. I adore making monoprints, etchings and screen prints. I have a screen print project I want to get started with soon. I am also a photographer.
You can find more of Lee's beautiful work in her catalog right here.