Skinsky This illustration is a commission for the cover of a poetry book, "Skinsky". 2023 | Highly Commended + Longlist + Shortlist | Book Covers | New Talent Was this project commissioned? Commissioned Commissioner Name Spring Day Books Commissioner Company Spring Day Books Who was the work commissioned for? Publisher

With soft pastels, Seoul-based award-winning artist Soru Lee transforms a sunrise scene into a love story on paper. Her winning piece Sunrise was selected from over 900 submissions and is part of the Artist Suite Collection, curated by Hôtel Magique and Hotel BonSol as a result of the Call for Artists. VIEW THE COLLECTION Image 1Image 2 'Sunrise' by Soru Lee 'Sunrise' by Soru Lee “On New Year’s Day, I watched the first sunrise with my lover, Dongju. We prayed together as the sun rose, lifting us up just as love does. Our sun rises and rises again, rebuilding and healing the world we live in, just like our love does. Genuine and natural forms of love encourage me to put those feelings into this Sunrise. The warmth of love made me create the warmth of the morning sun." Image 1 Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Hello, I would love to say thank you first for taking your precious time to read my interview. I am Soru Lee, a painter, a writer of picture books, and an illustrator. As a human being, I want to be the person who can take care of my family, and also, as an artist, I create art when my beloved one is around me. I aspire to show love to the world. Where are you from, and where is home for you today? I am from Seoul, South Korea, and it is the place where I live now. I think home is the place where our love is with us. When I am surrounded by my beloved one, wherever it is, I feel at home. Why did you start creating art? As a child, I naturally began to draw. I started creating because I was surrounded by people who believed in me and encouraged me to continue. What inspires you to create art today? Gratitude, nature, and love. What made you apply for the Call for Artists? I feel like Milou Neelen's life is full of nature and full of love. It made me feel comfortable applying to the open call. I am pleased and honoured to hear that I am being part of this beautiful Artist Suite Collection with Hôtel Magique and Hotel Bonsol.

Discover our enchanting interview with Soru Lee, an artist whose work beautifully intertwines the themes of nature and human emotion. In this intimate conversation, Soru shares her creative process, the profound impact of her grandmother, and the inspirations behind her stunning picture book, The Big Present. Soru’s art captures the essence of connection and healing, offering comfort during life’s challenges. Connect with her unique perspective and artistic journey! Read the full interview. Hello Soru, how are you? You recently collaborated with Blumenhaus on our new issue which is all about Mother Nature. We were keen to discover more about you and your creative process. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, who you are, where you're based, and what you do? Hello Camille and Isabelle, how are you? Thank you for inviting me in your beautiful Blumenhaus magazine. I am Soru Lee and I write, draw, and make picture books, low and slow. How nature influences your artistic process? Can you share a specific memory or encounter that has significantly impacted your work? When my grandmother, whom I loved, passed away in the summer of 2021, I learned our lifetime is a blink of an eye of nature’s endures. She was the love of my life. By spending time with her, I deeply learned from her how to love people. Her motion of tenderness taught me how to live in a moment. While the time flowed into my river, my green fields, my little petals of plumbago, she stayed with me, daily. It’s simple. But, to me, the blessing of everything. Toward the art, after her, as the rain slowed in the early morning, at a quite slow pace I drew and wrote little by little and put these into my picture book. I dedicated this first picture book, The Big Present, to her. And then rain came, then morning came, then the snowfalls came. “Looking at the houses light up under the heavenly night sky, and a snowfall began to gently envelop the houses, heals the place where the countless of snowflakes stay, like the grandmother’s reassuring tenderness.” ⏤ The Big Present Touching our separate souls was the present of our life together.

Looking at the works of South Korean artist Soru Lee you're immediately immersed in a sense of calm and serenity. Through her delicate and layered pieces, she aims to capture the intimate relationship between nature and the human psyche. After discovering her work and falling in love with it as a judge on our recent Open Call panel, Claudia Del Omo (The Founder of Casa Balandra), invited Soru to take up a place on her residency. Soru jumped at the opportunity. This was the perfect place for her to get immersed in her surroundings, observe the world around her, and make meaningful relationships to last a lifetime. In December she made her way to the Mallorcan light-flooded retreat where she found much more than she could have hoped for; healing and growth. Here, Soru guides us through her experiences at the creative home and how her gratitude and appreciation of nature, community, and spirituality impacted the creation of her latest collection ‘Mornings’.

Based in Seoul, South Korea, Soru Lee is an artist who also illustrates picture books. Her images are intended to be intuitive and focus on our relationship with nature, many of which are inspired by her own personal experiences. By spending time walking, Soru finds time to reflect on who she is and later translates these moments of self-reflection onto the canvas – it’s no surprise much of her work is full of hope and comfort.