About Lee Mothes

I love to paint and draw ocean surf, and am interested in imagined cultures and places.

I grew up on the California coast and began drawing beaches, waves and imaginary places while still in grade school. I studied art at California State University at Long Beach, at California College of the Arts in Oakland, and then architecture at California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Art at Western Oregon University in 1980.  After graduating, l built a house on the Oregon coast, and there I began creating paintings and drawings that relay my feelings about the ocean.    

In 1987, my wife Vicki and I moved to Wisconsin to raise our three daughters. I still consider the Pacific coast my spiritual home, and finding myself suddenly away from the ocean compelled me to spend a lot more time painting it. I frequently travel to the Pacific Coast to feel the waves' energy, smell the salt air, enjoy the light, take photos, and sketch the surf and beaches.            

I've worked full-time as an artist since 1990.  In recent years, I’ve written books about my artwork, such as An Artist’s Journey to Nevermore (2014) and The New Island Guidebook (2015). In 2025, I published The Hum, a young-adult fantasy novel that takes place on New Island. See it on Amazon. I also teach art part-time to high school kids, and I enjoy hearing the exploits of my three highly individualistic daughters. 

I continue to work in watercolor, acrylic, and graphite pencil. Please visit my imaginary island-nation at newisland.net.

Carry on, and enjoy!

 —Lee

Resume

Education

1980  Bachelor of Science degree in Art, Western Oregon University, Monmouth , OR

1971-1973  Fine art, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA

1968-1969  Architecture, California Polytechnic College, San Luis Obispo

1966-1968  Fine art, California State University at Long Beach, CA

Awards, Honors (recent)

2014  Voted in the Top 25 for 2D, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI

2014  Best in Show, Artstreet Art Fair, Green Bay, WI

2014  First Place, Art at the Park, Appleton, WI

2014, 2013  Best of Show, Artigras Art Festival, Green Bay , WI

2013  First place, Richeson 75 National Landscape, Seascape and Architecture Competition

2013, 2012 Best of Show, Green Lake Art Festival, Green Lake, WI

2012, 2011, 2010  Best in Painting award, Artstreet Festival of Arts, Green Bay, WI

2011  Excellence Award, Neville Museum 67th Annual Juried Exhibition

2011  Second Place, New North Exhibition, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum, Neehah, WI

2011  First Place Color Award, the Wisconsin Art League Life Drawing competition

2010  Best in Show, Art in the Park, Appleton, WI

2009  Juried the annual Scholastic Art Awards, Milwaukee Art Museum

Selected Exhibitions

2021 -2022 “New Island” An exhibition of artwork, artifacts and virtual reality, Trout Museum of Art, Appleton, WI

2016 “Floating on Waves” group exhibition, Promega Art Showcase, Madison, WI

2014  “Big Waves Live”, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI

2013  “Distant in Geography, Close in Mind” group exhibition, Bunpodo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2013  Continuing exhibitions, Oceans and Dreams Studio and Gallery, Kaukauna, WI

2012  “The New Island Project”, Rahr-West Museum, Manitowoc, WI

2011  “Explore New Island”, NWTC Gallery, Green Bay, WI

2009  “In the Flow”, Center for the Visual Arts, Wausau, WI

2007  “Ocean Dreams”, Wild Apple Gallery, Menasha, WI

2006  “A Journey To New Island,” New Visions Gallery, Marshfield, WI

2003  “The New Island Project – Paintings, Drawings and Maps by Lee Mothes,”

            Neville Public Museum of Brown County, Green Bay, WI

2002  “Recent Drawings and Paintings,” Riveredge Galleries, Mishicot, WI

2001  “Almost an Island – Watercolors,” Art Works Gallery, Green Bay, WI

1998  “Exhibition of Paintings,” Aaron Bohrod Gallery, UW-Fox Valley, Menasha, WI

1996  “Retrospective Exhibition of Drawings,” St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI

1995  “Oceans and Dreams”, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum, Neenah, WI

Accomplishments and Occupations

2019  Completed a 231-page second draft of The Hum, an illustrated fantasy-adventure novel that takes place on New Island.

2015  Published The New Island Guidebook, Oceans and Dreams Publications.

2014  Published Lee Mothes: an Artist’s Journey to Nevermore, Oceans and Dreams Publications.

2013  Wrote and illustrated Keep Out: How to Build Your Own Backyard Clubhouse, published by Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA

1990- present :  Artist and owner of Oceans and Dreams studio; Kaukauna, WI

1987-1990  Trade Show Exhibit Designer, The Display Shop, Inc.; Greenville, WI

1984-1986  Graphic Designer, Video Ventures, Inc.; Tillamook, OR

1979-1983  Self-employed carpenter, sign painter; Monmouth and Pacific City, OR

1978-1979  Owner-operator of Cottage Graphics printing shop; Ukiah, CA

1975-1978  Manager of Orr Hot Springs Resort, Ukiah, CA

1971-1974  Self-employed carpenter; Oakland/San Francisco, CA

1969-1970  Manager of US Army Arts and Crafts facility; Dong Ha, Viet Nam

1967-1968  Part-time apprentice carpenter, Long Beach, CA