Lee Kah Yeow, a native of Yongchun, Fujian, China, graduated from the then Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts (now Nanjing Arts Institute) established by Liu Haisu, a pioneer of China’s new art movement and modern art education in 1922. In 1926, he moved to Malaya where he worked as an art educator and principal in many Chinese schools and then went into business. He began fully committing himself to art in 1959. Lee studied avidly on ancient paintings and various traditional calligraphy styles. Based on this, he integrated Chinese and Western painting methods to create an artistic style with unique personal characteristics. His persistence and hard work paid off and in his later years, when he was known for the powerful momentum, remarkable skills, and excellent artistry in cursive calligraphy. A charitable person, Lee donated his works and treasured art collection selflessly to multiple institutions and generously supported local Chinese education, leaving a valuable legacy for future generations.

李家耀先生，号灿星，晚岁又号西朗老人，祖籍福建永春。1922年毕业于中国艺术大师 - 刘海粟创办所上海美术专门学校（现为南京艺术学院），之后投入教育生涯。1926年，他举家迁至星马，在多所华人学校担任美术导师和校长，之后从商。1959年正式退出商界，专心追求书画艺术。李家耀奉传统为尊，深入研究了唐宋以来的传统名画和欧颜柳等不同风格的书法作品，以此打下坚实基础，并追求将中西画法相融相合，创造出独具个人特色的艺术风格。他的坚持和努力在晚年时达到了巅峰，特别是他的行草书法，以其气势雄浑和娴熟的技巧而闻名，呈现出令人叹为观止的艺术功底。除此，李家耀低调和善，生前无私地将自己的作品及书画珍藏贡献给社会，如新加坡南洋大学李光前文物馆、马来西亚国家画廊、香港大学冯平山博物馆，并热烈支持华教义展筹款，为后代留下深刻的艺术和文化遗产。