Lee Garrett was a Columbus, Ohio artist whose raw, intuitive practice took shape through meticulous, ritual-like constructions. Working with humble materials—paper, cardboard, house paint, and hundreds of hand burned matchsticks—he built rhythmic patterns that carry a mix of fragility and intent. Garrett spent most of his life in Columbus, moving through periods of intense productivity and equally intense personal struggle, including long bouts with mental illness that deeply informed the emotion of his work.
A close friend and early supporter of William L. Hawkins, he was part of a small, interwoven community of makers on the Near East Side of Columbus where art and friendship overlapped. Garrett drew relentlessly from experience, transforming repetition, order, and obsession into a visual language that was entirely his own—hand built, vulnerable, and fiercely deliberate. View our catalog, “…the Omniversal Realm” that traces Lee’s artistic journey and features more of his artwork.
Lee Garrett Catalog