Loading... Please wait...

About the Artist

Candace Lee


I am a self-taught painter. I arrived on the Big Island in 1984, and fell in love with the peace and beauty that surrounded me.

Hawaii is an art gallery of divine creativity. Tremendous treasures and nature present themselves with each passing day. I desire to share these wonders by expressing them through my art.

God's numerous creatures have been themes and colorscapes for exterior and interiors of man of my projects. The colors of nature can warm us, calm us, heal us and excite us. The location and surrounding area, the culture, and the art have always impacted by creative vision. The more outside I can feel being inside is the stimulus for my designs. I am humbled and so grateful for the infinite designs, colors and ideas nature provides.

I was born in Berkeley, California, and grew up in a small town in the Bay area called Orinda. As an adult I lived in Lake Tahoe, California, and moved to the Big Island of Hawaii in 1984.

The sacred truth "all is one" has pushed me to realize that Nature is the essence of who we are, and we can all contribute to the preservation of its delicate balance.

I believe my artwork raises our global consciousness to feel that nature and all its creatures are divine creations with all the intricate parts working together for the good of all mankind.

Each of us has a special gift to give to this life, and each of us is inevitably led to not miss our life's purpose. My purposes are to expand people's vision and activate their creative energy.

My watercolor paintings bring nature from the outdoors to the indoors to be viewed, revered, appreciated, understood, but most importantly saved.

My passion and unique versatile style of watercoloring has led me in a lifelong process of studying, teaching, and creating through my paintings an awareness of preserving all that God has created for us.

I paint animals and nature of the land, air and water and my subjects are limitless. I realize the extreme peril all nature if trying to survive and I hope to shed light compassion and love through my work. Animals give us all such a great pleasure, and my desires are to enlighten each viewer of my art to look at their choices carefully because their choices will be the consciousness that will decide the future of all nature.

Man is only a very small part, but unfortunately has had one of the greatest impacts on the natural flow of nature.

One creature in particular has captivated my energy and soul. The green sea turtle has been the subject of many of my watercolor pieces. I have been often told that my artwork is a vehicle to preserve and save the green turtle from extinction.

I am grateful to each collector of my artwork because they are all the source and inspiration that allows me to keep painting.

We all must love, protect, preserve and cherish all the animals of this planet. They are in danger of perishing forever.

Teaching watercolor has given me such a gift. It feeds my soul and fills my heart when I can touch the creative part of a child or an adult. There is a talent lying dormant in all of us, it just needs encouragement and to be recognized. Painting and drawing are a journey that everyone should experience. Learning how to watercolor will be a skill and a gift to yourself for life. We are all artists and I can help you access your talent.

I sell my watercolors to people all over the world. My home is my studio and many of my original pieces can be viewed there by appointment.

The Gallery at the Bamboo Restaurant in Hawi displays my work. The Kona Village Resort, Brown's Beach House at the Fairmont Orchid Hotel, The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows and the Makana Shop at the Hotel, and Trudy's Island Art in Kona Marketplace.

All of my paintings are available in giclée reproductions in a limited series.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I am no longer at the Mauna Lani Resort and am hoping to be at Hapuna Prince Westin in the Summer of 2021. My work is displayed at the Paniolo Farmers’ Market at Pukalani Stables in Waimea on Saturdays 7:30 a.m. - 1p.m. Private lessons may be arranged at my studio. Please contact me for more information.

I share with you a reverence for life, a realization we are part of nature and not separate from it, self-discovery (which is essential), gratitude that I can share with you and all my Aloha.