About Lona Lee
Like many of us who have fallen in love with letterforms, I attribute my interests to my childhood years. I loved copying everyone's handwriting and signatures (especially my mom's); my pencil cases were stacked with gel pens; and my notes from school were always re-written at home with “perfect” handwriting. In many ways, these things helped me battle what I now know as childhood OCD.
In my mid-twenties, with the notion that I may never make enough money with a liberal arts degree, I rolled the dice and got a Master's in Business Taxation. I worked as a tax professional for about ten years and after having reached my career goal, I found myself still carrying an incessant void. I was first introduced to calligraphy by a colleague but during the pandemic in 2020, I took advantage of not having to commute into the office every day and picked up my hobby earnestly.
Calligraphy provided me an escape, a form of meditation, and conjures up all forms of nostalgia. After joining scores of workshops with respected calligraphers and artists, long nights of practice and pondering, I decided to follow my heart, leave my corporate job, and feed this starved creative child living inside of me. A dream come true in my humblest opinion. I continue to study and attend as many calligraphy and lettering workshops as I can. A lot of my inspiration comes from my teachers and favorite artists from formal to street including Rick Paulus, Thomas Hoyer, Sue Greenseth, Carol DuBosch, Yukimi Annand, Viktor Kams, Jurgen Vercaemst, Eleanor Winters, Nina Tran, Ken Barber, the late Ed Benguiat, Jung Sook Hyun, and many more.
Aside from calligraphy, I enjoy watercolor, yoga, the outdoors, and travelling. I grew up in New York but opted for the perpetual sunshine of California on and off since 2002. I now live in the South Bay area of Los Angeles with my husband and our fuzzy cat, Goni, the unofficial mascot of this website.
To inquire about original artwork, project ideas, or any other questions, please email me at hello@lonalee.com.
To see my latest practice sheets, check out @lona.letters on Instagram.
Based in Los Angeles, California
Photo Credit: Carissa Woo Photography