Rising Stars: Meet Mia Lee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Lee.

Hi Mia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I come from a family of woman artists, art was all around me. My grandmother was a painter and a pianist. My other grandmother was a seamstress. My grandmother had memberships to museums and use to take me. My mother is a painter, she inspired me and supported my art early. It’s because of Black women, because of what I know, who I’ve been raised by, and what I’ve seen, and what I feel. I love it, I adore it and that’s how and why I am where I am today.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing is ever smooth. Nothing. Understanding that it doesn’t happen overnight. You have to constantly keep working on your art, keeping pushing to get your art seen by as many people as possible. And work super hard. My art imitates my life, I put my struggles in my art and keep going.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a contemporary painter and textile designer from the South Side of Chicago. Through my love for animation, I use a cartoonish approach for storytelling based on my personal experiences or those closest to me. My work depicts the raw emotional side of Blackness. It’s important for me to make art that Black girls can feel seen, I want them to see my work in museums or a collaboration and know they’re not dreaming too big.

I have not really processed 2022 completely, it all feels surreal. I am really proud of myself and extremely grateful to everyone involved in getting me to this point. I collaborated with Chance The Rapper on his song “Yah Know”, I designed a huge piece that was featured at the MOCA in LA, my parents came out for the opening. We shot a video, part of it in my studio and we were on a panel discussing the project at Art Basel. My capsule collection with Urban Outfitters launched at the beginning of January. The pieces feature characters, bold patterns and bright colors that you see in my artwork, Crazy enough, I was on a plane to Ghana for Chance’s Black Starline Festival when the collection dropped. I landed to messages and IG tags of the launch, it was fire. What Chance created in Ghana was special. Starting my year, there was a beautiful experience. I have a lot planned for 2023 including a solo show.

What makes you happy?
Being in my studio with Papa, my dog, creating, vibing, watching The Simpsons on the projector. The studio is my happy place, I spend the most time there, I’m happy being around my family, my people, I feel so much love. It of course also makes me happy to see the reaction around the world to my art. I love seeing people post their looks in my silk scarves and posting my art. Being able to create what I want. Yea this is what makes me happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: hotfunmia.com
• Instagram: @hotfunmia

Image Credits
Sebastian Berlin Kendall Hurns