Yehrim Lee is a ceramic artist born in Seoul, Korea, whose work bridges traditional Korean ceramic practices with contemporary sculptural form. Drawing from generations of ceramic history in her family, Lee works primarily through hand-building techniques rooted in traditional onggi jar-making, creating vessels and furniture that balance structure, movement, and expressive surface.
Her works explore the space between decorative and functional, restraint and excess, often through layered glazes, carved surfaces, and forms that push against the physical limits of clay. Influenced by Korean temple ornamentation, architecture, and color, Lee’s practice reflects an ongoing dialogue between cultural tradition and contemporary material expression.
Lee received her B.F.A. in Ceramics from the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage and later earned her MFA in Ceramic Art from Alfred University. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including the Korean International Ceramic Biennale and the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Lee has held residencies and visiting artist positions at the University of Georgia, The Clay Studio, and the Archie Bray Foundation, and currently lives and works in the Joshua Tree area of California.
[C.V.]
Yehrim Lee is a ceramic artist born in Seoul, Korea, whose work bridges traditional Korean ceramic practices with contemporary sculptural form. Drawing from generations of ceramic history in her family, Lee works primarily through hand-building techniques rooted in traditional onggi jar-making, creating vessels and furniture that balance structure, movement, and expressive surface.
Her works explore the space between decorative and functional, restraint and excess, often through layered glazes, carved surfaces, and forms that push against the physical limits of clay. Influenced by Korean temple ornamentation, architecture, and color, Lee’s practice reflects an ongoing dialogue between cultural tradition and contemporary material expression.
Lee received her B.F.A. in Ceramics from the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage and later earned her MFA in Ceramic Art from Alfred University. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including the Korean International Ceramic Biennale and the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Lee has held residencies and visiting artist positions at the University of Georgia, The Clay Studio, and the Archie Bray Foundation, and currently lives and works in the Joshua Tree area of California.
[C.V.]
