Ren Shieh remembers the moment his life turned to pottery.
He was working at Henderson Centre in Coquitlam when he happened to pass by Clay Junghong Kim's ceramic pieces. "I was surprised that I could find this kind of quality in Canada," he recalled, "because most of the western world doesn't usually see work like this."
Shieh struck a conversation with the Korean native and, before he knew it, he was taking private lessons in Kim's home studio in Coquitlam, starting with the basics at the wheel: first a bowl, then a plate and, later, a vase.
With a bit more practice, Shieh was soon focusing his skill on creating Buddha sculptures - one of which will be on display this month and next at Place des Arts in Coquitlam as part of Kim's students' show, titled 7th Group Exhibition.
His 20-plus students, who go by the name of Clay For You and range in age from 12 to 65, will highlight 35 of their ceramics, some of which are functional, others merely decorative. There are cups and teapots, candle holders and urns, and their colours have rich hues - browns, dark reds, beiges, turquoises - all with beautiful lines and designs.
Since he moved to Canada a decade ago, Kim has gained quite a reputation for his exquisite work. A student of master potters Nam Gok and Hye-Kang Rye Geun-Hyung in the 1970s, Kim is now a master himself, having won international awards and displayed numerous times locally and overseas.
Two years ago, when Coquitlam was named a Cultural Capital of Canada, Kim was flown to Ottawa to represent the city and to showcase his talent on Parliament Hill. Also that year, Kim's work was featured with other Korean artists in an exhibit at the Evergreen Cultural Centre, called Korean Art: Past, Present, Future.
Canada, he has said, has given him a clearer sense of purpose. "Although I have studied under master potters and have worked with clay for more than half my life, I have a greater appreciation for this ancient art form because of my time in Canada," he wrote in a past artist's statement. "Here, I am now both artist and ambassador of Korean culture. It gives me such pleasure to share my passion and expertise of Korean pottery with people of all ages."
Clay For You will have its opening reception at the Maillardville facility (1120 Brunette Ave.) Thursday along with artists Simon Haiduk (digital mixed media) and Rocio Graham (acrylic and mixed media). The reception runs from 7 to 9 p.m.
