Pat Lee trained as an Art Teacher at the South Australian School of Art where a very varied course covered Painting, Drawing, Design, Life drawing, Sculpture, Print Making and various craft activities. However as an artist she has spent far too many years in the wilderness - too busy teaching with too few hours left to explore her own creativity.

On moving to Tasmania in late 2004 Pat was encouraged to pick up the paints and brushes to create works for her new home. This provided the incentive to explore the characteristics of light and shadow as well as exploring other application techniques including glazing and post impressionist style. She has particularly been interested in looking at quirky compositional elements and photo realism.

Pat began exhibiting at the Cygnet Art show in their Watermark exhibition and was awarded the prize for Best Oil or Water colour. The work shows the wreck of an old wooden barge in the harbour at Strahan. The reflections, light and shadow captured her eye and she set herself the challenge of reproducing what she saw in paint.

Two years later Pat exhibited at the Watermark exhibition and again won Best Oil or Acrylic Painting with an acrylic painting of a sailing friend.

At the passing of her husband ten years ago, Pat lost her enthusiasm but in 2024 she was teaching adults to paint in acrylics which led to the resurrection of her interest. Retirement from teaching has also allowed more time for artistic pursuits.