Aspireimaginary

Eric Lee wants to help you express your personality through artwork.

As an Asian-American twentysomething with a learning disability that affects his speech and motor skills, he has found his place in the world through art. He began his lifelong love for vivid, abstract imagery as a youngster with a paintbrush in an art class, where the instructor identified him as a young Picasso.

Childhood wasn’t always easy for Eric, who was very shy and had trouble communicating. He could only seek comfort among the acceptance of his family. As a result, he often found himself the target for bullies -- even in his special ed classes.

Through art therapy, he has uncovered his own voice -- one that often involves striking colors and a bit of edginess -- and a passion for providing designs for others to express their tastes in a unique way.

A 2011 graduate of Lewis University, Eric began his career as a graphic design artist when he put together his own custom designs for his iPhone and realized he could create his own line of products! Eric named his brand Aspire Imaginary, marrying two concepts he loved -- Aspire, meaning, "to direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something" and Imaginary from the song title "Imaginary" by Eric's favorite band, Evanescence.

All of Aspire Imaginary's products begin as a graphic design concept created by Eric, then transferred by hand via sublimation dye.

If you, too, ever struggled to find your voice in a chaotic world that didn't understand you, Eric is your guy. He's here to show you how to self-express through graphic art!