Preparing for her next chapter in life, senior Letizia Lee said that she looks forward to continuing her lifelong artistic journey by pursuing studies in industrial design in college and cites her unique upbringing in Panama as a source of inspiration.
Lee found her passion for art at a young age and continued honing her craft since then through various mediums such as acrylic, watercolor, and even digital art, she said.
“I’ve been doing it (art) ever since I could hold a pencil,” Lee said. “I never had a phase in my life where I went: ‘From now I’m going to start drawing seriously.’ It’s my life. I can’t do anything without it.”
Letizia’s primary inspiration for her work is nature, she said. Growing up around the forests, beaches, and other natural landscapes of Panama led to her affinity for the environment, she added.
“I love everything about how balanced and perfect nature is,” Lee said. “My main message for people would be to take care of nature because that’s where we first got everything from.”
Animals, especially wolves, are a running symbol in Lee’s illustrations and hold a lot of personal meaning, she said.
“A lot of people think wolves are lonely animals and like to be on their own, but, later on, I realized that they can’t survive on their own,” Lee said. “They always need to be part of a pack, which I relate to. Even if I enjoy being by myself, I always need someone to be there with me or be part of a group or a family. Sharing things with other people, for me, is the only way you can go far and achieve things.”
Born and brought up in Panama, Lee moved to Milpitas on her own in 2021 to pursue her art education and currently lives with her aunt; it was a very different life, but friends and teachers have helped make her feel welcome, she said.
“I was very worried and scared to come here and see a complete change, but in the end, I managed to go through with it, and I’m doing pretty well,” Lee said. “Living far away from my parents and siblings makes me feel homesick sometimes. I try to celebrate on my own here by wearing the traditional Panamanian outfits that I brought from there as well as playing the recorder I brought, especially Panamanian pieces.”
AP Art and Design teacher Fiona Walker noticed something special about Lee’s work and character from the first day she met her, Walker said. Lee’s background and her vibrant, meaningful artwork made Lee stand out, Walker added.
“The style of her work is very consistent and very unique,” Walker said. “You can see certain influences, like a little bit of a Disney-esque feel to it, but she still makes it her own, which is really important. I’ve never seen anybody who works quite like she does. There’s a specialness to it. The meaning of everything — it’s just very well thought out.”
Senior Ohanah Buquing, a good friend of Lee’s, praised her for her character and qualities.
“She’s a person I can rely on to get things done,” Buquing said. “Especially when she talks about her clubs, she talks about her strong commitment to them, and I definitely see that through her character. She’s a person you know you can laugh with and have a good time with. She always tries to find a way to make you smile and whatnot. That’s really admirable.”
Everyone should see Lee’s work, Walker said.
“I think it’s really beneficial for people to see other people’s artwork, just to gain empathy and kind of understand where others are coming from, especially when we come from completely different cultures,” Walker said. “It’s very unifying.”
