Cedar Street Gallery is a street-level art gallery on the corner of Shattuck and Cedar in the heart of the Gourmet Ghetto in Berkeley, CA. We hope to support artists, engage the public, spark curiosity, beautify the street and show some really cool art.
Sophia Lee
Ever-shifting Phases
Oct.13th-Nov. 9th
​Artist Statement:
For as long as I can remember, I have been drawing to connect my inner self with the outer world. I am shy and did not trust my voice, but the pencil pierced through the wall, connecting me with people.
My work is about creating the movement of organic forms and patterns inspired by nature and found materials. I transcribe and reveal the beauty of nature and urban waste through intuitive calligraphy. As an artist of two cultural backgrounds, my work naturally thrives in the marriage of juxtaposed influences. The calligraphic gestures of traditional painting are my brush strokes, even when using bean pods, collecting coffee lids, painting murals or weaving plastics.
Ever-shifting Phases plays with the dance of light across time, capturing nature’s playful and ever-changing moods. This series is a reflection on nature’s cycles, the passage of time, and the resilience of renewal. The three paintings—Sunset Starlings, Tree of Light, and Rising Sun—reflect the whimsical ways light weaves through the days and seasons. They capture moments of transition, both in the natural world and in the materials I use. By working with reclaimed foil, junk mail, and found papers, I explore the beauty within discarded fragments, reassembling them into forms that echo the phases of life we often overlook. These pieces celebrate transformation, suggesting that even in waste, there is light, movement, and the potential for new beginnings.