About Joon Hee Kim

Her artistic trajectory has been anything but conventional, shaped by a series of unexpected yet formative turns that have deeply enriched her practice. Born and raised in South Korea, Kim began her career in graphic design, working as an art director. This grounding in visual communication sharpened her sensitivity to form, composition, and aesthetic persuasion. Yet her curiosity soon drew her toward more tactile explorations of making. An unlikely detour into pâtisserie studies at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa became revelatory. The exacting techniques of pastry—its delicacy, repetition, and potential for transformation—offered striking parallels with ceramics, ultimately redirecting her toward clay as a lifelong medium.

Kim pursued formal training at Sheridan College, graduating with a specialization in ceramics. In 2015, her commitment was recognized through the prestigious Cecil Lewis Sculpture Scholarship, enabling graduate study at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London. Immersed in Chelsea's intellectual rigor, she deepened her investigation into the cultural and historical dimensions of art through critical theory. What followed was a decade of restless exploration across continents. Kim has established herself as a leading voice in contemporary ceramics, showing work in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Italy. She has participated in residencies at the Banff Clay Revival, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, the Ceramic Centre in Berlin, the Archie Bray Foundation, and the McKnight Artist Residency—each residency a chapter in her ongoing dialogue with makers and thinkers worldwide.

Her accomplishments have earned widespread recognition. She received the Helen Copeland Memorial Award from Craft Ontario Council in 2019 and the Winifred Shantz National Award in 2020, one of Canada's most prestigious honors for emerging ceramic artists. She has received repeated support from the Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council. Her work resides in the Royal Botanical Garden's International Sculpture Collection and the Tia Collection. In 2023, the ITSLIQUID Group named her Artist of the Year in Venice, affirming her compelling voice in contemporary ceramics. These milestones reflect her position as a leading figure in ceramic visual arts—distinguished by intellectual depth, international reach, and an unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of material and meaning.