Perfect is Important: Meet North Shore Artist Saemee Kim

Saemee joined the North Shore studio after taking a class offered by our Teaching Artist in Residency Program (TARP) at North Shore Special Education District. In the class, Saemee showed a strong interest in art and worked meticulously and slowly. She is assertive, bubbly, and can turn on a dime. The first artist to join our studio from the TARP program, she wasted no time establishing a practice in the studio.

“I love art. It calms me down. Drawing. Painting. Photo. I calm down,” says Saemee. A very focused maker, she has a strong work ethic that enables her to approach her projects carefully. Working and reworking a line until it is in the exact position she wants before moving on, her dedication is remarkable. As the phrase “done is better than perfect” trends through the creative world, Saemee takes the opposite stance and declares that “perfection is important!”

[Image: Saemee working on her artwork in the studio]

With the start of the past Olympic season, Saemee began creating a body of work that is a series of world flags. When asked why, she said, “I like my world flags. Just all of them. They are beautiful.” She began with the Brazilian flag, then worked on the United Kingdom, and has since begun flags for France, Ireland, and Italy.

Saemee draws inspiration from what she interacts with regularly. “I get my ideas from books. I love to read books, lots of books. I practice drawing, lots and lots of drawing. That’s it. Many, many, many drawings—I’ve done hundreds of drawings on paper.” She likes a great many things, but common themes appear to be fairytales and other whimsical stories. “I like hard work. I like drawing portraits, just the head, that’s it.”

[Image: Saemee showcasing her detailed drawings]

Not surprisingly, Saemee’s preferred art-making choice is drawing. She feels most comfortable with the precision that drawing materials enable. “My artistic strength is drawing. Amazing drawings with beautiful rainbow colors.” Every piece starts as a line drawing. She does not shy away from a challenge and is currently exploring the use of watercolors in some of her recent flag paintings. Working small areas at a time, her watercolors have a choppy quality that is absent from her smooth drawings.

Saemee is a force to be reckoned with, and we are excited about everything she has to offer our studio community. From her friendliness with strangers to her strong concepts and diligent making, she has many strengths to contribute, and we are looking forward to growing with her.

Welcome, Saemee!

[Image: Saemee with her completed artwork]