About Joon Hee Kim

Her artistic journey commenced in graphic design as an art director in her native South Korea. This grounding in visual communication sharpened her sensitivity to form, composition, and the persuasive power of aesthetics. She ventured to Canada to pursue patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa. She pursued formal training at Sheridan College, where she graduated with a specialization in ceramics. Her fascination with ceramics and its potential to explore themes of identity and humanity in contemporary visual art led her to shift her career focus and pursue art full time. In 2015, her commitment was recognized through the prestigious Cecil Lewis Sculpture Scholarship, which enabled her to pursue graduate study in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London. Her compelling ceramic works have been exhibited in the USA, Germany, UK, and Italy, while she continues to develop an international presence and expand her audience. Taking every opportunity to learn, experiment and connect, she is recognized as a leader in ceramic visual arts both nationally and internationally. She examines her heritage through the lenses of multiple influences as she travels to both national and international artist residencies. Following the Banff Clay Revival Residency, she was one of six-selected artists for the Canadian Craft Biennial. Then she has undertaken residencies at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan, the Ceramic Centre Residency in Berlin, and prevalently the Archie Bray Foundation Residency, and McKnight Artist Residency. Kim’s accomplishments have been recognized with numerous awards and honours. She received the Helen Copeland Memorial Award from Craft Ontario Council in 2019, as well as repeated support through grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council. At the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, she first won the Best of Student Exhibition award, followed by Best of Ceramics and Best of Craft and Design in successive years. In 2020, she was honoured with the Winifred Shantz National Award, one of Canada’s most prestigious recognitions for emerging ceramic artists. Most recently, her work has been acquired for the Royal Botanical Garden’s International Sculpture Collection and the Tia Collection, milestones that underscore her growing resonance within global collections. In 2023, she was named Artist of the Year by the ITSLIQUID Group in Venice, Italy, affirming her position as a compelling voice in the field of contemporary ceramics and beyond.