Artist Profile:

Sacha Lees

Born on the South Island’s wild West Coast, Sacha Lees is a well-known artist specialising in Fine and Fantastic art. 

One of the leading artists in her field, Sacha started out as a graphic designer but soon turned her talents to illustration, creature design and airbrush art at Weta Design Studios in Wellington. Weta is now world renowned, particularly for its work on the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Hobbit’ films. Sacha worked on the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy and other projects alongside the Weta team before venturing out on her own.

For over a decade, her characteristic, imaginative artworks and commissioned portraiture works have made her a popular and notable artist both in New Zealand and overseas. Her Fantastic art pieces have regularly been featured in magazines such as ‘Spectrum’ and the ‘White Cloud Worlds’ anthologies I and II.  In 2015, Sacha was showcased among other female Fantastic artists from around the world in the book ‘Women of Wonder’, edited by Cathy Fenner.

Created in oils, her work is characterised by a stunning, naturalistic approach and vivid colours. Sacha honed her techniques studying the masters in Florence, Italy for one year. Human expressions, life-like flesh combined with fantastical characters both angelic and sinister – Sacha’s work is recognised for its unique fantasy persona brought to life with traditional paining techniques.

Her original works feature in private collections around the world and have been showcased in major exhibitions, museums and galleries both in New Zealand and overseas. In 2016, Sacha Lees’s work was part of the ‘Art and Imagination’ exhibition at the Academy of Fine Art, Wellington.

Sacha currently lives and works in Wellington where her paintings are created amongst a busy family life with her husband and two daughters.