Artist Statement

Statement by Janet’s mother, Joyce Moi

Janet Lee was a Malaysian artist from Kuala Lumpur whose work was defined by an intuitive use of color, expressive freedom, and emotional authenticity. She saw the world through her own unique perspective rather than through conventional rules, painting objects in the colors she instinctively felt belonged to them. For Janet, color was a personal emotional language.

Working across acrylics, watercolors, pastels, colored pencils, marker pens, and Chinese ink, Janet became known for bold and pastel palettes combined with carefree, fluid strokes. Her artistic journey began in childhood and continued through formal art training in 2010. In 2017, she was recognized as a colorist, a distinction that reflected her distinctive approach to color and expression.

Nature—particularly flowers, gardens, and landscapes—provided endless inspiration. Her freedom from conventional artistic expectations allowed her authentic voice to flourish, resulting in work that was spontaneous, expressive, and deeply personal. Living with intractable epilepsy from infancy and later being diagnosed with an intellectual disability profoundly shaped Janet’s life but never diminished her passion for art. Her first seizure occurred when she was just eight months old, and the unpredictable nature of epilepsy remained part of her life throughout her artistic journey.

 While it is impossible to know precisely how her experiences influenced the evolution of her style, observations of her work suggest that her emotional and physical experiences may have found their way into her art at times.

Art provided Janet with joy, stability, self-expression, and purpose throughout her life. Her work demonstrates that creativity does not depend on conformity to conventional ways of seeing, thinking, or communicating. Her perspective was her own, and that perspective became the foundation of her artistic voice. Through her art, Janet reminds us that epilepsy may shape a person’s journey, but it does not define their creativity, potential, or contribution to the world. 

Janet’s artworks have been exhibited locally and internationally, including in The Hidden Truths Project (USA), where her work has been featured since 2014. Her artworks are held in private collections worldwide, as well as by the Korea Culture Art Research Institute in Seoul.

Although Janet passed away in 2023, her artistic legacy continues through the Janet Lee Gallery. Her work invites viewers to look beyond conventional expectations of how art should be made and understood, while raising awareness of neurodiversity and creating opportunities for other neurodivergent artists.

Art