**[Tommy Lei](https://www.cohart.com/tommylei/profile)** is a Los Angeles-based fine artist and photographer whose work, driven by intuition, invites viewers to pause and reflect. His art blends beauty, identity, and storytelling, shaped by his bicultural experience from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. Known for his peaceful compositions, Lei sees his work as a means of healing and capturing the present moment, aiming to bring calm and balance while inspiring a sense of new beginnings.

His fine artworks are part of private collections and homes worldwide, with collectors including notable figures such as _Little Fires Everywhere_ author Celeste Ng. Lei’s work has been featured in leading publications like _Architectural Digest_, and he has collaborated with major brands such as American Express and Dyson. A Cornell University graduate in social sciences and humanities, he is also a member of the Pasadena Society of Artists and a photographer ambassador for Canson Infinity.

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##### Can you describe your artistic process? What materials and techniques do you typically use?

My process starts behind the lens of my Leica camera - the rest is intuition. I let my hands and eyes guide me. I love capturing scenes in nature and urban settings that evoke peace, vulnerability, and rebirth.

The entire production process from print to framing is so therapeutic for me. I carefully select the best archival papers for my fine art prints. I work exclusively with [Canson Infinity](https://www.canson-infinity.com/), which has been around for 150 years, to ensure the paper is complementary to the photograph. For framing, I work intimately with my local framers, like [Ballard’s Artwork Framing](https://ballardsartworkframing.com/), to achieve refined and hand-framed sophistication. 

##### What emotions do you experience when creating your art, and how do they influence the final piece? 

Due to my strict upbringing, I am often prone to anxiety and stress. Behind the camera, I can redirect that energy into the lens. By compartmentalizing my emotions, my intuition emerges and that is what is captured through the camera. I think for most people photography is considered an outwardly-looking medium of sorts. Still, to me, it’s really about looking inward that makes the experience so much more dynamic, visceral, and honest.

##### What is your approach to experimenting with new techniques or styles?

The only technique I experiment with is artistic evolution. Where we are now doesn’t define where we will be in the next week, month, or year.

##### Can you describe a turning point in your artistic career that significantly impacted your work? 

For most of my professional life, I suppressed the desire to be an artist. I told and convinced myself that art would be a futile pursuit. During the pandemic, I realized I had become a hoarder of my art. There were hundreds of photographs I had captured but never shared because I was afraid they didn’t hold meaning for anyone else. But that’s the thing - art is personal. That was my biggest epiphany and ultimately propelled me to share my work in a tangible form. 

##### Has your cultural background influenced your artistic practice?

100%. I don’t think my work would be the same without seeing it through my immigrant and bi-cultural lens. One of my popular prints is Hong Kong Street, which was recently collected here on Cohart, as a framed edition of 2. I think so much of my work is an homage to the human experience, whether you’re seeing it unfold on the street or the vast expanses of nature.

##### Do any rituals or routines help you get into a creative mindset?

Oh yes. I am a mental wellness and self-care _kween_. Whenever I step into my studio, I light a Japanese hinoki incense. It’s so calming and grounding. I think having a routine sets the tone for the day, So much of life as an artist is unstructured. Little routines and rituals add up.

##### How do you perceive the relationship between art and mental health?

Extremely important. Art is therapy in my opinion. Many of my collectors lead busy, hectic, and on-the-go lives, so they are drawn to images that bring them a sense of peace or nostalgia. We often forget that our environments have a direct correlation to our moods and psychological health; art serves as a mediator of sorts.

##### Are there any symbols, colors, or motifs that recur in your work, and what significance do they hold for you? 

I look inward when I capture my fine art photography. I’ve always been more connected to moments that are vulnerable and ambient. I have a tendency to gravitate toward what is peaceful and calm, mostly, because there was a lot of geographical change and emotional upheaval throughout my adolescence and teenage years. Some photographers are in constant pursuit of that perfect moment or shot…for me, I photograph as is and move about the world intuitively. I don’t want to be imprisoned by the camera - rather I want it to liberate me.

##### How do you balance personal expression with audience expectations in your work?

When I started to consider and prioritize myself in my work, it became infinitely better and authentic. The only time I involve the client or collector is finishing touches for the overall piece.

##### What do you think is the most important quality for an artist to possess?

Resilience.

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Tommy Lei captures peace, vulnerability, and rebirth in fine art photography, blending nature, urban scenes, and cultural depth.

Spotlight: Tommy Lei on Finding Liberation Behind the Lens

Spotlight: Tommy Lei on Finding Liberation Behind the Lens

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