Sand Artist Coua Lee

Coua Lee is an inspiring, self-taught sand artist from St. Paul, Minnesota. Born and raised in Fresno, California to Hmong refugee parents, she is passionate about telling stories through her sand art. Her work is inspired by the events around her, the people she meets and her imagination. She learns by observing the sunsets, listening to the melody of the wild Minnesota birds, and following the beats of her cultural music. Her creative process is highly spiritual in that she must go through a journey herself to create the stories. As a mental health advocate and spiritual leader, Coua specializes in artistic stories about mental health, humanity, nature, biblical stories, and diverse cultures. Coua’s hope as a sand artist is to inspire everyone to tell their own stories to promote healing, creativity, and self-identity. She often does pro bono work with local organizations, such as Native and Hmong American affiliations, churches, cultural festivals, concerts and local galleries. She is a recipient of the 2014 Next Step Fund with the Mcknight Foundation and winner of the 2020 Hmong American Partnership art contest. She has been a featured guest artist on Fox 9 news and in the Minneapolis Hmong Museum and performed at the Portage County Cultural Festival, where 12,000-15,000 people attend yearly.