Lihua Lei, grew up the daughter of rice farmers in rural Taiwan, crafting her first art pieces (her own toys) from the muddy earth beneath her. Her childhood was marked by polio and growing up a disabled woman, Lei says she was constantly grappling with bodily beauty standards–wondering if she fell short of femininity, and whether she could ever “fit in.” These questions endured as Lei emerged as an artist. With a background in art therapy, and a strong belief that she could connect to others’ suffering with her work, Lei came to Maine in 1998 for a summer residency at the Skowhegan School for Painting and Sculpture.
Visiting Artist talks are free and open to the public on a space-available basis.
Funded through a generous gift from Dr. Edward M. Friedman '08 and Carole J. Friedman, in honor of Sculpture Professor Emeritus Gary Ambrose.