jamesleech

[jamesleech]

A little late but super proud to share my contributions to Artists Remaking Medicine by Emily F Peters and Procedure Press - a book on art's collaborative role in healthcare and medicine.

My favourite piece to put together (slide one) shows the story of Yoko and Avery Sen. Yoko is an electronic musician who fell ill and was bombarded by the dissonance of the ICU environment and relentless beeping of her monitoring equipment. She lamented what she thought would have been the final sounds she'd hear.

Thankfully, Yoko pulled through, and with her partner Avery, have since worked with one of the largest companies in this space to redesign their alarm tones.

The rectangular vignettes in this drawing are meant to mirror the rhythm of the monitor's beeping, as are the tiny highlights that curve across the layout within each one. I wanted to express the feeling of being with a loved one in the ICU; the warmth of old memories and the presence of those closest to you interlocking with the reality of an incredibly difficult situation and an annoying fricken beep beep beep beep beep beep beep

Thank you to the singular Joanne Lam for bossing me around

#art #artists on tumblr #editorial illustration #illustration #healthcare

[jamesleech]

professor 5x7in, oil on yupo

ryuichi sakamoto for the new yorker

#ryuichi sakamoto #art #artists on tumblr #montreal artist #oil painting #portrait painting #painting

[jamesleech]

earth keeper an excerpt from a book by the same name by n. scott momoday for emergence magazine

charcoal and graphite on paper, digital 3.5 x 5 in, 2023

#editorial art #editorial illustration #illustration #charcoal #graphite #drawing #artists on tumblr #art

[jamesleech]

our time is up oil on paper, 8 x 11 in 2023

for the @newyorker

#art #editorial art #editorial illustration #illustration #painting #oil painting

[jamesleech]

I watched you see me for the first time oil on panel, 48 x 60 in 2023

#art #artists on tumblr #painting #oil painting #taiwan #canadian painter

[jamesleech]

In 1987, the Kien family stood on a red dirt road in a refugee camp called Site 2 somewhere along the border of Cambodia and Thailand. With their loved ones scattered, their home displaced, and their country suffused in violence, they place their hopes on a vague future. Absurd events become strangely, sadly common. Fate, or luck, or kindness brings them safe passage across the sea to Boston, MA; Montréal, QC; and finally, Bradenton, FL, a few minutes away from where this wall stands.

The youngest of the four depicted is our friend Anhdi. Today, he lives in Bradenton with his wife and three kids, who we invited to help paint and add to their family’s story directly. It’s a story with many secret turns and memories that shape their specific experience, but it’s also one that’s universal to so many who have had to flee their homes amidst conflict in the search of a new beginning. It’s a story of survival and the human spirit, and we feel so lucky to have been able to try and express it.

🌜🌞🌜🌞🌜🌞

“When the sun is up, the moon is absent!” was created in collaboration by Bryan Beyung and James Lee Chiahan in part of the 9th edition of the Shine mural festival in St. Petersburg, Florida. Made possible only with the support of David and Liliana of Artillery Residency, Jenee and the team at SHINE Mural Festival, Void Projects, and of course, the Kien family. We give our deepest thanks for the gift of an unforgettable experience, and our love to the people of St. Pete for your warm welcomes and kind words. Thank you!

Photo no.4: Mark Rapien Tree/moon: based on a drawing by Amelia Kien, age 6. Bottom left section and door: by Annie, Aaden, Adrian, and Amelia Kien; June, Zachariah and Noble.

#painting #mural #st petersburg #florida #artists on tumblr #art #mural art

[jamesleech]

self 24 x 36", oil on panel, 2023

this was the second piece created for @taiwanfest a few months ago. in a nutshell, it's a portrait of how my dumb ass feels as a person far removed from their original culture - the confusion, embarrassment, and joy that comes with reconnecting with crucial parts of my life that a younger self often tried to minimize.

#artists on tumblr #art #taiwanese art #oil painting #painting #self portrait #portraiture

[jamesleech]

'reclamation'

oil on panel, 24 x 48 in, 2023

what does it mean to attempt to reconnect with a part of yourself that's been lost to time, distance, neglect? does it mean standing in a decrepit alley and looking at stuff? i think so! i'm so proud to share this painting (along with another) with @taiwanfest 's self-portraits exhibition this year. thanks and hello to those who stopped by!

#art #oil painting #taiwan #painting #artists on tumblr

[jamesleech]

Crooked Channel, Folded Temple

Two paintings for the Globe & Mail - David Gratzer, an attending physician at CAMH writes about what led us to a crisis of mental illness and potential paths towards meaningful change.

Big thanks to AD Ming Wong 🙏 These two originals are available in my shop.

#art #painting #editorial art #illustration #editorial illustration #oil painting #mental health #camh #artists on tumblr

[jamesleech]

new leaf, old leaf 5x7in, oil on yupo 2023

🍃 available in the shop

#art #oil painting #painting #still life #art sale #artists on tumblr

[jamesleech]

I made this oil painting to accompany a story by Annie Hylton about Canada's shameful actions in the genocide of Indigenous people and a community's search for their missing graves. It's not my story to tell but I'm honoured to help tell it anyways in a small way.

Thanks to the Walrus and Paul K for the opportunity and the guidance <3

#art #artists on tumblr #editorial illustration #oil painting #painting #the walrus

[jamesleech]

i barely made it but here's the last week of portraits from april. i gave myself the goal of 20 and that's what i managed to do. who knew that drawing every day would help make your drawing better? and take up a lot of time?? but also make u wanna draw more??? i dunno thanks for sending in your heads - if i didnt get to u i might next month :-)

available here: https://buttmcbutt.bigcartel.com/

no.16 david no.17 deb no.18 thomas no.19 rocco no.20 sasha

#art for sale #art #artists on tumblr #moleskine #sketchbook #sketch #portrait drawing #drawing #charcoal

[jamesleech]

week three of daily portrait drawings, all available in the shop <3 thank u

#art #art for sale #portrait drawing #drawing #sketchbook #moleskine #artists on tumblr #charcoal

[jamesleech]

portrait drawings (week 2) charcoal/graphite drawings on paper 5x8.25"

no.6 - selena ♥️ no.7 - vp 💙 no.8 - john 💜 no.9 - sarah 💚 no.10 - sek 🧡

if u have a face and would like to be drawn, send it and i'd be happy to receive it. also, these little drawings are all p affordable and available in my shop! thank u thank u

#art #artists on tumblr #drawing #sketch #sketchbook #portrait drawing #art for sale

[jamesleech]

09.05 peeled

ive eaten over 100 million bananas and this was one of them

#art #still life #drawing #sketchbook #moleskine #sketch

[jamesleech]

09.03 trashed

when something is crumpled it becomes trash? guess u came precrumpled

#art #still life #drawing #moleskine #sketchbook #artists on tumblr #montreal artist

[jamesleech]

doing a portrait every weekday this month! here's week one.

these are available (and affordable) in my shop :-)

#art #artists on tumblr #sketchbook #portrait drawing #drawing #portraiture