IT was a tough journey into the world of art for Joyce Moi over the past 15 years. But eventually, she reached the pinnacle of success by setting up Janet Lee Gallery in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, fulfilling her youngest daughter’s dream.
However, after the passing of her daughter, she turned the gallery into a platform to empower other mothers with differently-abled children and to provide them with guidance.
At just eight months old, Lee was found to have intractable epilepsy. Later, she was said to be intellectually and developmentally challenged.
Despite facing struggles, Moi motivated her daughter to pursue her passion for art, which was evident since she was a child. She actively searched for the right teacher who could discover Lee’s hidden talent and understand her.
It was not an easy process, but she managed to find one at last. From then on, Lee began to create eye-catching abstract paintings with a fascinating combination of colours.
Moi was a pillar of strength for Lee and never gave up and nor stopped believing in her daughter. She dedicated her life to making Lee’s dream come true and never complained or spoke about her sacrifices because she never saw them that way – as sacrifices.
For Moi, it was a calling of the highest order… a mother’s mission.
And in building her daughter’s dream, she gained so much knowledge about the world of art, which she would not have learned if it were not for Lee.
