Kok Wan Lee is no stranger to the local art scene, having exhibited his work for 11 years “non-stop”.In that time he has become known as an innovative artist who is constantly experimenting and growing.As a result, his art is an ever-changing challenge, both to himself and to his viewers, which keeps it fresh and interesting.The artist’s latest series, ‘Abandoned City’, opens in Studios A and B of the Bermuda Society of Arts tomorrow, and continues through November 1.So what can viewers expect this time?“They will see 20 pieces based on a lot of very colourful, abstract paintings of an imaginary city,” Mr Lee says. “My inspiration was human migration, which has always fascinated me. When you travel you see a lot of old cities which have been abandoned, so you must imagine what they were like when they were alive. When a city is abandoned what is left is the past, and I am always fascinated to discover the mysteries of the city the people, how they lived, and what they were. In my series, you will see impressions based on geometric shapes.“I always find that inspiration comes from my own imagination, but even with that I must see something realistic beforehand, and know what it looks like in real life, before I can make it abstract. You always need a source.”In portraying his imaginary abandoned city, Mr Lee used intense colours to symbolise the life force and energy of its inhabitants, while his aggressive marks and lines “speak for the dramatic structures, and the communities”.Preparation for each exhibition begins months in advance, as this allows him sufficient time to change direction, if need be, to better fit the painting’s title which is always the first thing he chooses.While not denying that the sale of his work provides necessary income, the artist insists that money is not his primary reason for painting growth is.“If you want to be an artist, and you paint because it is saleable, you will never grow. If you work doesn’t sell, it doesn’t mean that you should paint less, or stop painting altogether. You must keep painting. If you don’t have a vision, you might as well be a commercial artist” Mr Lee said.“Art is a journey, and if you have a vision it is a long, long journey. There is no ending and no beginning. As an artist you don’t know what your best work is, so you just keep going, keep being creative, and enjoy it I think that’s the main thing.“If you are not enjoying painting, you had better stop. During an artist’s journey there are lots of obstacles, but you just have to ignore them and keep painting.”In fact, Mr Lee gave up his career as a professional chef in favour of a less stressful job to give himself more time to develop as a visual artist.Born and raised in Malaysia, his initial passion was for the culinary arts, which led to him coming to Bermuda as a chef more than 20 years ago.His career as a visual artist began with art classes at the Bermuda College, and extensive art workshops in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina. As his work flourished, he entered more and more exhibitions, both group and solo, including the Bacardi Biennial at the Bermuda National Gallery.“I enjoy working in different media, and use a variety of subject matter to explore my vocabulary,” he said.Like any artist, he is always pleased when his work sells, because it is an affirmation that the buyer enjoyed it and was willing to pay for it.However, he concluded: “My fulfillment is not about the sales, but the feeling that ‘I did a good painting’, which satisfies me.”