Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Kim.
Alexandra, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I began working with clay at 8 years old when I signed up for a wheel-throwing class at a local art center; and once I started, I just couldn’t stop. I reveled in immersing my hands in the cool, velvety clay—it felt like playing with mud and it was irresistible to me! I enjoyed this afterschool activity for many years, but it was in high school where I was able to deepen my work. I attended a high school that offered an extensive ceramics curriculum under the guidance of an incredible teacher, and there my love of ceramics blossomed into a serious artistic pursuit. I expanded my skillset from wheel-throwing to hand-building and became interested in creating more sculptural work. My work in the studio became a main focus of my high school career, and I knew I wanted to seriously pursue the visual arts. I applied to a Newton Art Association scholarship at the end of my high school career, and as a first-place winner, was granted $800, which gave me great encouragement. In addition, I began to submit my artwork to various juried shows and galleries and was able to begin showing my work in the Boston area. I am currently taking a gap year to pursue ceramics and plan to continue my pursuit of clay and art when I begin my undergraduate degree in September.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Clay is one of the oldest and most organic art forms, so it only seems fitting that clay inspires me to create forms reminiscent of nature. I see inspiration all around me: in the curved edges of a leaf, the striations of a clamshell, in the texture of a tree’s bark. With my art, I like to play with this relationship between art and nature. I have worked on ceramic series that are reminiscent of the coral reef, trees, and ginkgo leaves. Additionally, I like to incorporate my Korean heritage into my ceramics. I am heavily inspired by ancient Korean ceramics and find joy in producing modern renditions of ancient Korean themes and designs. Making art transports me to a world of calm and creativity, and I hope to transport my viewer to a world of inspiration and beauty.
The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
As a 19-year-old emerging artist, I am actually grappling with this question myself. Financial concerns can be a huge barrier in an artist’s success, and I see how financial concerns can even drive an artist to produce work that does not reflect their true creativity. Perhaps it is naïve, but I hope that my pure love and passion for clay will put me on a fulfilling artistic path, whatever that path might be. I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes—follow up with me in 10 years!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work has been shown in a few juried shows and exhibitions around the Boston area. In the summer of 2016, as well as the winter of 2018, my pieces were on display at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. First in “Framework: Emerging Artists Exhibition”, and then through another juried exhibition conducted by the Newton Art Association. My pieces were also shown at the James King Bonnar show in the New Art Center in Newton. To see photos of my work and inquire about buying specific pieces, viewers can visit my website, alexandrakim.org. In addition, I have an Instagram @alexandrakimceramics, as well as a Facebook page, Alexandra Kim Ceramics.
Contact Info:
- Website: alexandrakim.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrakimceramics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandrakimceramics/
Image Credit:
Paula Driscoll
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