| Artist Biography |

Haejin Lee (B.1982, Seoul. South Korea)

Haejin Lee is currently an active ceramic artist in City of Vancouver.
Haejin Lee has been a ceramic artist in Seoul, South Korea for over 15 years.

She was graduated from Hong-Ik University in Korea, received Master degree in Ceramic Art.
Her ceramic sculptures won Grand Prize in 2009 at Seoul Press Ceramic Competition in Korea, Special Award in 2012 at Taiwan Ceramic Biennale and many other awards in South Korea and other countries.  She was later scouted by Kwangjuyo, renowned traditional Korean ceramics company in South Korea, while she was receiving her MFA at Hong-Ik University. Haejin Lee participated as a Head designer for ‘Modern-Line’ at the design department, the team developed styles which reinterpreted Korean traditional shapes to modern sensibility.
She moved to Vancouver BC in 2012 and she has opened her own private studio that focuses on ceramic sculpture and functional tableware. Presently, her art pieces are displayed at the Granville Island ceramic galleries, and distributed to many shops in British Columbia. Furthermore, she participates in many of the art and craft shows.

| Artist Statement |

I like to decompose a finished shape and then reassemble the parts into a different presentation.
The new creations that are getting rebuilt in the process, are sometimes expressed in a form of rhythmical composition of ribbons or various objects or deformed faces.

Decomposing a well made shape gives me sense of freedom. Free from an expected image. It gives me the motivation to start another piece after another.

Cutting down a sculpture I spent hours on and taking into parts is such a nerve wrecking experience, but also gives me a spine tingling sensation. 

Rebuilding to the imagined composition, firing to achieve the right textures and colours; every step, every process takes a certain amount of risks and challenges. And without a good knowledge in Clay, rebuilding in different compositions just can not be done especially when pieces are cut down to thin strips. Understanding chemical reactions of the clay in different degrees of high firing is also a must.

All these little steps motivates me to study and learn more about the medium I use. Taking a risk to create a beautiful visual communication is also one of my enjoyable challenges in working with clay.