Sally O. Lee - Vita

Sally O. Lee earned her BA (1984) in Studio Art and Art History (with distinction) from Colby College and then went on to study graphic design and painting in Boston (Art Institute of Boston) and in New York City (New York Studio School). At Colby and the New York Studio School, Sally studied with Gina Werfel, Abbott Meader, Graham Nickson, Ruth Miller, and Bob Bordo. She has had several shows of her work and received an art grant from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology to conceive and create a series of paintings, and from this came her 2002 exhibition- A Journey Into Abstraction.

"My paintings are about light, form, space, joy, and freedom of expression. I work with the figure, objects, landscapes, and abstraction to produce paintings that reflect my vision and nature's integrity."

Ms. Lee has also written and illustrated over thirty children’s books, most of them dealing with the struggles of living with some form of handicap…or, as the author prefers to call it, imperfection. Many of her illustrations have been published and she has earned both academic and public recognition for her important work in children’s books. She has received several book awards including the Pinnacle Achievement Book Award, The Family Choice Award, and The Reviewers Choice Award.

She has had illustrations published in Worldlink Magazine, IEEE Magazine, and several other publications.

Sally has taught Drawing 101 during MIT's IAP January period.

Children’s Books – illustrator/author (www.sallyleestudio.com)

I was "LEFT OUT!"

Sally O. Lee's Salon des Refuses - illustrations
Lucy's Coloring Book
Lucy's Paper Doll Book
The Cake Thief's Cookbook
What's in your Pot?
What just happened?
Sally O Lee's Book of Cats
Sally O. Lee's Book of Illustrations
The Reluctant Witch
One Cat, Happy Cat!
Pop! Pop! Bam! Bam!
Circle and Square
The Girl who was Blue
The Dog Show
The Carrot King
A Cat's Alphabet Book
Is there a monster over there?
The Tutu Ballet
No Never!
Stop it!
The Cake Thief
The Rabbit and The Snowman
Lucy
Drageena's New Shoes
The ABC Coloring Book
Magdalena and The Golden Pear
Lucy's Halloween
Peony's Favorite Holiday
Tinkerella and the Blue Door
The 123 Coloring Book
Sam, the un-nutcracker
Sometimes I Wonder (Poem by Jean S. Lee and illustrations by Sally O. Lee
Lucy Wakes Up
Lucy, the dancing bunny
Lucy Makes a Valentine
Today I sat: Illustrations by Sally Lee. Text by Jean Lee. 1996
Lucy’s Tea Party
Lucy and Seymour's Circus
Seymour's Masquerade Ball
Nightie Night, Lucy

Children's Book Awards

I was "LEFT OUT!" - Runner up - Children's Book Category - New York Book Festival - 2023

Sally O Lee's Book of Cats - Winner in Photography/Art Category - New England Book Festival - 2016

Pop! Pop! Bam! Bam! wins a Pinnacle Book Achievement Award! 2014

Circle and Square wins a Pinnacle Book Achievement Award and a Family Choice Award, 2013!

The Girl who was Blue, Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, 2012 Family Choice Award, BOTYA 2012 Finalist

The Dog Show featured as a highlighted title from Independent Publisher, 2012

The Dog Show wins a Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, 2012

The Carrot King wins a NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award - 2012

A Cat's Alphabet Book won a NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award - 2011

Is there a monster over there? won a NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award - 2010!

No, Never! won an Honorable Mention -Children – Early Reader (6 to 8) - Reader Views Literary Awards Winners - 2009

No, Never! won a 2009 Family Choice Award.

The Tutu Ballet won 2nd place (Children - Toddler to Five): Reviewers Chioice Award 2008 Fiction.

The Cake Thief won Best 2008-Children's Picture Book - Books and Authors.net

The Rabbit and The Snowman won Best 2008 - Children's Fiction - Books and Authors.net

Committees and Memberships

Directory of Illustration - 2017-present

Member (illustration) - SILA - Society of Illustrators - Los Angeles - 2015 - present

Web Chair - SILA - Society of Illustrators - Los Angeles - November 2015 - 2016.

Shows

Montserrat College of Art: Artrageous!, Montserrat Art Auction, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021. Donated paintings to auction.

Montserrat College of Art, Solo Show, "Reflections" - illustrations and paintings. Carol Schlosberg gallery - July 31 - August 21, 2014.

MIT Rotch Library (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). “A Journey into Abstraction.” Funded in part by a grant from the MIT Arts Council. January, 2003. Oil paintings.

Art Institute of Boston, Group Exhibition, Thursday, October 28, 1999, 5 pm - 10:30 pm
"… Live and silent auctions of fine art donated by renowned artists and galleries, students, faculty, and staff of The Art Institute of Boston."

MIT-Laboratory for Computer Science - Headquarters, Cambridge, MA. September to present - 1999.
Bermuda Landscapes: oil on canvas and linen.

New York Studio School, New York, NY; November 1997 - January 1998. Juried Alumni group show,
painting.

MIT-Laboratory for Computer Science - Headquarters, Cambridge, MA. October 1997 - August, 1998. Landscapes: oil on canvas.

MIT-Laboratory for Computer Science - Headquarters, Cambridge, MA. March -September, 1996. Landscapes: oil on canvas.

A.R.A., Art Research Associates, South Hamilton, MA; April, 1995. Two Person show. Paintings.

"Artists-behind-the-desk", Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA; September, 1994. Group show, paintings.

Lasell College, Auburndale, MA; April,1994. Solo show, paintings and drawings.

La Di Da Coffee Shop, Half Moon Bay, CA; April, 1993. Solo show, paintings.

New York Studio School, New York, NY; April, 1992. Alumni group show, paintings.

Lee Studio, Danvers, Ma; 1990, 1991. Solo shows, paintings.

Colby College, Waterville, ME; 1984. Senior Show, paintings.

Education

New York Studio School, New York, NY; 1986-1987. Studied painting and drawing.
Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA; 1984-1986. Studied painting, typography, advertising, design.
Colby College, Waterville, ME; 1984, B.A: Graduated with distinction in Studio Art/Art History Major.
The Lacoste School of the Arts, Lacoste, France: Fall, 1983. Studied painting, drawing, sculpture, poetry, and French.

Grants

MIT ARTS COUNCIL (MIT-Cambridge, MA):
Fall, 2002: Received an MIT Art Grant for painting. “A Journey into Abstraction”. Show exhibited in MIT Rotch Library, January, 2003.

Illustration Commissions:

How to find and keep the Right in-Home Childcare for your family. Jerry L. Wolfe - Redbook Magazine May, 2000. – illustrations

Mini-Workouts Personal Trainor in a Book, Anne E. Boehler, 1999 – illustrations

Caring for your older dog, Jean Callahan, 1999 – illustrations

The New Wallpaper Book, Liz Risney Manning, 1998 – illustrations

Today I Sat: Children’s Book. Written by Jean S. Lee, Illustrations by Sally Lee. Books signings at Beverly Farms Bookstore and Border’s.1996

IEEE Magazine: 150 published digital illustrations for IEEE magazine.

Worldlink Magazine: 4 published digital illustrations. 1998-1999

Residencies

Dorland Mountain Arts Colony, Temecula, Ca., August, 1999
Vermont Studio School, Johnson, VT; 1986.Sally O. Lee - Vita