Born in Masan in the Republic of Korea, Lee Sipe showed a proclivity and passion for art from an early age, but it was not until after she came to Columbia and the youngest of her four children had grown up that she became serious about her art. It was a 1983 class on weaving and pine needle baskets that clearly demonstrated Sipe was a natural at multi-dimensional art forms. She immediately began winning local awards and soon after was offered representation out of state. Sipe soon moved on to study pottery and merge her basket weaving skills into this new medium. Again, her work met with acclaim. Copper wiring was next. 48
Sipe’s wire vessels were added to the permanent collections of the South Carolina State Museum and Alabama’s Huntsville Museum of Art, while other pieces won awards and were juried into shows throughout South and North Carolina. Juror and noted New York art critic Mario Naves says of one example of Sipe’s work, “Though small, the piece generates a large space around it. The piece stated its case as a unique object in terms of its crafting and in terms of the vision being put forth.” Local artist and art critic Mary Bentz Gilkerson named Sipe “one of the top two artists in the state working with the basket as a fine art form.”
Sipe cites fellow multi-dimensional artist Clay Burnett as an early influence and works to stay true to the values of her Korean culture—hard work, order, precision, and family. Sipe says she seeks “the pleasure of creating, and that “every piece is a new adventure. Looking forward to creating new art adds excitement to my life.” She adds that she is “extremely honored to have been selected as one of Jasper’s Masters of Art and to have been included with these other accomplished artists.” By Cynthia Boiter