About | creative

Artist Bio: Cartoonist / Illustrator / Painter / Bassist / Educator

Chris Yee was born in Queens, NY, grew up in rural Connecticut and later Long Island. He earned his BFA in Cartooning/Illustration at the School of Visual Arts in NYC in 1994, with a minor in Art Education. There, he learned from many industry legends and personal heroes such as Walt Simonson, Klaus Janson, John Ostrander and mentor, Carmine Infantino. After art school, he made some things, freelancing as an illustrator, while moonlighting as a teacher at Elmont Memorial High School. Perhaps, it was the other way around. Yee has served in public education since 1996. Yee founded A2K Media INC. in 2000 and published a few books and zines in a 10 year run. In 2001, Yee earned his Masters of Science in Education (Secondary Education- Art) from Queens College CUNY, graduating with honors in thesis research, and two years after that, earned his School Administration and Supervision Certificate. He has been the Chairperson of Visual & Media Art since 2002. In 2012, Yee rebranded as Rock Toonz to create original art and music. Yee is a cartoonist/illustrator, a painter, a graphic designer, and the bass player in original Long Island bands, MHZ and Kill The Sun, and rock cover band, The Damn Good Time Band. He resides on Long Island with his family and their pack of rescues.

Objective: I'm interested in artistic projects of all media- works that tell stories, brand, beautify, uglify, whatever. Collaborative or solo, we learn from every artistic journey. Art and music are unifying and through creativity we see each other.

Artist Statement- Art is essential. It is sustenance and it connects us. Art strikes chords that cannot always be expressed by our vocabulary alone. Yet it is a conversation. Creating is what makes us human. There is space for each and every one of us to share our stories and vision because culture and history is collective.