Nov 23, 2021

Get to Know: Leegan Koo

In anticipation of our Black Friday and first print release with artist Leegan Koo, we sat down with the artist to learn about his life and art. Take a look below:

Where were you born and where are you now?

I was born in Seoul, Korea, and Now I live in Bellingham, Washington.

What are your first artistic memories?

My first memory of being creative is when I built a chair with scraps instead of the wooden trivet I was supposed to make in art class. I was about ten years old.

How has your style evolved from over the years to now? Has incorporating pop culture always been an aspect of your work?

I paint more instinctively and imperfectly nowadays. I used to be obsessed with details and making everything look perfect and complete. But now I’m trying to capture the emotions and impressions that flow in my mind and transfer them onto canvas as quickly as possible so that I don’t lose those feelings before the painting is finished. Also, I’ve recently gained more confidence in painting without reference images. It has helped me develop my own painting style. I still have a long way to go but think I’m slowly getting there.

Incorporating pop culture has always been a big part of my work because I’ve always enjoyed drawing my favorite anime characters since I was a little kid, and that is what got me interested in art.

Could you tell us a bit about this week's release with us, "Time Traveler?"

I first thought of the idea from an elevator. I imagined an elevator being a time traveling machine that brings you to different times as it moves up and down. Also, you never know what’s behind the elevator door until it opens, and that kind of tension is also in play in the painting.