By Noah Nelson
Shinyeon is a talented artist, writer, and teacher from Seoul, South Korea, who now lives in Bend, Oregon. Shinyeon received her B.F.A in Oriental Painting from the Ewha Womans University in Seoul, and continued her education, earning an M.F.A in Studio Art from Towson University in 2007. After having taught throughout Maryland and Tahlequah, Oklahoma for 11 years as an adjunct faculty and assistant professor of art, she came to Bend in the fall of 2018 as an adjunct faculty member at Central Oregon Community College.
What is your full name and title?
Shin Yeon is my first name (two syllables) and Jeon is my last name. I want to be called Shinyeon. I have worked for Central Oregon Community College as an Adjunct faculty and Ceramics Shop supervisor since September in 2018.
What brought you and your art to Central Oregon and Bend?
I received an offer to teach from COCC in 2018; I have enjoyed viewing the beautiful scenery around Bend and Central Oregon and meeting the students and colleagues at school and in my neighborhood. Hopefully, those sentiments are reflected in my artwork.
How would you categorize your art? What styles/methods do you practice?
I am known as a figurative artist in my field. As a human being and an artist living in this contemporary world, my thoughts, ideas and feelings go out to the society through my art. My studio practices of drawing, painting and ceramics and sculpture include imagery of facial expressions and body gestures that represent the invisible aspects of humans -especially those women. These days I have been focusing on drawings and paintings of the imagery on clay surfaces and through rigorous multiple firing processes of ceramics production, I add permanency.
For my recent solo exhibition at Cascade Sotheby’s, I brought wall hanging pieces from my office studio at COCC. Teaching a variety of ceramics classes to talented students has been a driving force for my recent practice. Teaching and creating my artwork both require courage, practice and devotion. Both are learning and challenging experiences for me. I have naturally accepted those challenges in my life for my growth as an artist.
What inspires your work?
Often the inspiration from a previous work directly leads to the next. So I try to go to my studio to observe my artworks with or without having intentions of making something. Intense feelings or urges to express myself reflect naturally in my work.
More of Shinyeon’s work can be viewed at her website here www.shinyeon.com.
