In the 1980s, Lee ShinJa drew inspiration from the sea and landscapes of her hometown, Uljin. Her work from this period captures memories of Uljin's coastal waters and sunrises through semi-abstract and abstract forms, reflecting her exploration of what feels "real" within her consciousness and memory. Depicting mountains, trees, birds, and the moon, she rendered these natural elements in semi-abstract compositions. Memory exemplifies this phase, featuring abstracted mountains and the play of light across the landscape. Lee closely observed how light altered tones and contrasts, using chromatic variations to convey both brightness and shadow. By layering different colored threads, she created complex hues and subtle contrasts reminiscent of soft brushstrokes. Art critic Kim BokYong described Lee’s work as “a metaphor of light and a space of memory.”*

*Kim BokYong, “The Metaphor of Light and the Space of Memories,” The 5th Lee ShinJa Tapestry Exhibition: Nature, Spirit, and Life, exh. cat. (Seoul: Korea Fiber Artists Association, 1993), n.p.