Charlotte Lees (b.1942)
River’s Edge, 2010
Materials: Maple and poplar, paint | 48" x 96" x 4"
Location: Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams Tower, Akron Campus (141 N. Forge St.), Blue Neighborhood, Ground Floor, Waiting Room
About the Art
Charlotte Lees’ River’s Edge captures the essence of movement and flow, evoking the dynamic energy of a river without depicting it directly. Instead, abstract leaf forms swept up in an unseen current invite viewers to imagine the natural rhythms of water and wind. The large-scale, three-part composition creates an immersive experience, with swirling patterns that mimic the organic veining of leaves and the fluid motion of water. Lees arranges the elements to suggest a cresting swell, lifting the central leaves into the air before continuing its implied movement across the piece.
Known for her mastery of wood, Lees primarily works with cherry, poplar, and maple, materials that reflect her deep connection to forested landscapes. In recent years, she has also incorporated embossed metal into her sculptures, drawing inspiration from artistic traditions she encountered in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her work often bridges two and three dimensions, blending painting, collage, and found objects to explore the relationship between people and the environment. Whether through intimate works like River’s Edge or large-scale public commissions in stainless steel, bronze, and aluminum, Lees’ art celebrates the ever-changing presence of nature in our lives.
Three Birds, 2019 & Hidden Treasures, 2019
Materials: Three Birds – Maple and poplar wood, paint, 16" x 23" x 5"
Hidden Treasures – Pecan wood, paint, mixed media wall sculpture, 13" x 20" x 3"
Location: Juve Family Behavioral Health Pavilion, Second Floor, South Waiting Room
About the Art
Created just one month apart, Three Birds and Hidden Treasures reflect the deeper creative rhythms Charlotte Lees experienced during the solitude of the pandemic. Her daily walks, both on her own land and through the Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin Reservation, brought her into closer contact with the natural world. The patterns of animal movement, shifting light, and organic forms became an expanded source of inspiration, guiding her process of abstraction and reinterpretation.
In Three Birds, Lees presents a composite image, three glimpses of the same bird captured at different moments. She notes that we rarely perceive an entire bird in a single view, so her layered technique offers a more holistic, though fragmented, portrayal. Using a process of transferring hand-drawn and photographic images onto sculpted wood, she washes away parts of the paper, leaving softened, indistinct impressions. Multiple layers of paint are then applied and partially rubbed away, enhancing the sense of movement and fleeting observation.
Lees often combines playful sculptural elements, such as the leaflike forms in this piece, with more traditional structures. In this case, a squared background represents the broader forest environment. The leaves function as magnified details, drawing our attention to specific moments within a larger habitat. This layering of transferred prints, paint, and textured surfaces creates an evolving visual experience that reveals new details upon closer examination.
In Hidden Treasures, a similar sense of discovery continues. Lees begins with naturalistic drawings and integrates deconstructed images of tree bark to create depth and texture. The composition emerges not through rigid planning but through an intuitive process, guided by what she calls “happy accidents” in sculpting, painting, and layering. The vertical panel, paired with cut-out leaves, evokes the experience of parting foliage to glimpse the intricate wildness beyond.
Through both works, Lees invites viewers to slow down, observe, and uncover the richness in detail that might otherwise go unnoticed, true hidden treasures within the natural world.
Organ Pipe Medley: A Tribute to Sister Ignatia, 2019–2020
Materials: Mixed media – embossed aluminum, wood, paint, metal, wire mesh, 11 organ pipes
Overall Dimensions: 5' x 5' (as installed)
Location: Juve Family Behavioral Health Pavilion, Ground Floor Lobby, across from Conference Rooms
About the Art
Charlotte Lees draws deep inspiration from nature, distilling its forms into abstracted compositions that invite contemplation. Her works often express movement and organic rhythm rather than direct representation, as seen in Three Birds and River’s Edge, both featured in Summa Health’s collection. Organ Pipe Medley continues this approach, transforming salvaged organ pipes into a visual symphony of music and nature.
Gifted with a collection of old organ pipes, Lees embraced the challenge of repurposing them into art. She embellished each of the eleven pipes with patterns and textures inspired by natural sounds and musical notation. Traditional symbols blend with organic motifs, while references to simple musical instruments such as the mbira, or African thumb piano, deepen the connection between visual art and sound. Engraved metal lines, painted accents, and applied shapes flow across the surfaces, while areas of exposed wood offer contrast, much like a quiet pause in music.
This work honors Sister Mary Ignatia (1889 to 1966), an accomplished organist and music teacher who became known as the "Angel of Alcoholics Anonymous." Her pioneering efforts to recognize alcoholism as a medical condition and her compassionate care for thousands of patients helped shape the foundation of modern addiction treatment. Her legacy is honored at Summa Health through the Heritage Center in the Juve Family Behavioral Health Pavilion, where visitors can learn more about her contributions at St. Thomas Hospital.
Summa Health is proud to celebrate not only Sister Ignatia’s impact on healthcare but also her lifelong love of music through this inspired work by Charlotte Lees.
Leaflets #2 and #5
Materials: (#2) Wood, Paint, Handmade Paper, 16x14x3,5”; (#5) Wood, Paint, Handmade Paper, 16x14x3,5”
Location: SHMG Plastics
These sculptures were created during an intensive workshop at the Penland School of Craft, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It was there that Charlotte Lees learned the intricate technique of wood bending; a process that has since become foundational in her practice. The method is labor-intensive, involving the cutting of slab wood into one-eighth-inch thick pieces, then sanding, soaking, heating, and bending them into cylindrical forms.
The organic shapes of Leaflets #2 and #5 provided a natural canvas to showcase this technique. Lees often enhanced the sculptural surfaces with handmade paper or fabric, adding tactile contrast and subtle color. These works represent a thoughtful combination of organic and manmade imagery, bridging natural materials with artistic craftsmanship.
Structure #3
Materials: Wood, Paper, Paint, 19"x5"x3” Location: SHMG Plastics
In Structure #3, Lees explores the relationship between curved and linear forms using a bentwood cylinder as the central element. Accents of handmade paper and additional bentwood slats create a layered, visually compelling image. This piece marks a significant evolution in her body of work, representing a departure from earlier sculptural approaches. The process of building this piece was, for the artist, both challenging and deeply inspiring.
Structure + Yellow
Materials: Wood, Paint, Mesh, 15"x40"x2” Location: SHMG Plastics
Structure + Yellow reflects Lees’ fascination with the intersection of architectural structure and the natural world. Painted on wood and featuring stenciled patterns, wire mesh, and linear "stick" elements, the piece evokes both rural and urban landscapes. The vertical forms suggest architectural motifs coexisting within an altered natural environment.
This work is a visual exploration of harmony and tension between built and organic environments. For Lees, experimenting with new techniques is essential to maintaining a fresh, evolving practice. Structure + Yellow is a result of that ongoing exploration, offering viewers a vibrant, layered experience that reflects her commitment to artistic growth.
About the Artist
Charlotte Lees is a distinguished Cleveland-based artist whose sculptural works reflect a deep connection to nature and community. Born in Cleveland, Lees pursued a Bachelor of Science degree at Bowling Green State University before continuing her studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Case Western Reserve University, where she earned a Master of Arts degree. Her dedication to artistic excellence has been recognized with numerous honors, including an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Ohio Arts Council, the Francis E. Willard Award, and the Alpha Phi International Outstanding Career Achievement Award.
Lees' public art installations contribute to the cultural landscape of cities across the country, including her work in the park on Third Avenue in Harrison West, Columbus, Ohio.
Where to Experience Charlotte Lees’ Work
Charlotte Lees’ sculptures are featured in prominent collections, including the Cleveland Clinic, Hillcrest Hospital, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Her work is also part of public and private collections in the City of Solon, as well as in Maryland, Indiana, Florida, and Georgia. With a rich exhibition history in museums throughout Ohio and Indiana, Lees has received recognition in juried exhibitions across the U.S. and Japan. She is represented by galleries in Cleveland and Akron and is archived in the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve.
To learn more about Charlotte Lees and explore her artistic vision, visit her official website or view her work in these esteemed collections.