Lee ShinJa (b. 1930) is a pioneering first-generation Korean fiber artist and educator. During the 1950s and 60s, when working with thread and fabric was considered domestic labor, Lee broke new ground in the evolution of applied arts in Korea. Against the conventions of traditional craft, she experimented with modern formal techniques, driving innovations in embroidery, dyeing, weaving, and tapestry to expand the breadth and depth of the genre, which at the time was still unestablished.

In the mid-1990s, Lee began dividing each piece into panels of independent vignettes, a departure from her earlier organic abstractions. This period also marks the introduction of metal into her works, with bold lines that frame the scenery and enhance the sculptural quality of her tapestries. In her "Spirit of Mountain" series, Lee captures the resilience and vitality of nature through dynamic, semi-abstract compositions. Drawing inspiration from childhood memories of seascapes and mountains, the series reflects Lee’s spiritual connection to the natural world.