Meet Joanne Paek | Ceramic Artist & Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joanne Paek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joanne, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk-taking sounds more glorious than it actually feels, especially when deciding to pursue a creative/artistic career. As a child of two immigrant parents, taking a chance on myself as an artist was a difficult decision to make. It meant that I would be sacrificing comfort and stability in pursuit of my creative development. I also had limited knowledge and resources to begin a business with, so there were big learning curves along the way. But at the end of the day, what I truly value is what I am doing with my time. To me, time well-spent is time spent creating and discovering, I found it increasingly dissatisfying to work in fields that did not check those boxes. So when the opportunity came during the pandemic, I decided to make and sell my ceramic art full-time. As a result, I learned about starting a small business, making connections with brands, selling my work online and in person, and teaching as a ceramics instructor. It is by no means an easy endeavor, but taking risks pushes me to believe in myself and allows me to turn my potential into reality.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In my opinion, one of the biggest pitfalls of being an artist today is comparing oneself to others, especially through social media. In order to keep from simply copying what looks ‘cool’,  I’ve learned to unplug and look to personal & historical research when I need inspiration. What largely influences my art has been my story as a child of Korean immigrants in America. Growing up, I distinctly remember beginning to notice the differences between Korean and American culture, and experiencing the tensions that came with being raised in a Korean home while going to school with primarily white students. As a result, my questions of identity always revolved around being Korean, but not Korean enough or American, but not American enough. Today, my ceramic art reflects studies of traditional Korean/east Asian forms and techniques as well as contemporary Western forms and surface design. Looking at historical references of Korean pottery gives me a deep appreciation and respect for my heritage, and my challenge lately has been bridging those influences to modern-day forms and designs I am inspired by.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m an Orange County native, but love to frequent LA for friends and work. In OC, I’d recommend checking out Buena Park for some delicious Korean food along Beach Blvd. Downtown Fullerton is also a great place to walk around because of its small town vibes and local bars. Some of the OC beach towns are worth the trip for their coastal views and local art events, such as Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, and Costa Mesa. In LA, one of my favorite breakfast/brunch spots is Millies on Sunset Blvd. They have the best service with the most consistently delicious food. I enjoy cups of coffee at Maru Coffee & Groundworks near the arts district, and nearby is Little Tokyo, where I like to take walks and browse. While in Little Tokyo, Sushi Komasa is a great restaurant worth stopping by, as they serve what I’d imagine fresh sushi in Japan would taste like. And one block over is Rakkan, where you can always go to for a solid bowl of ramen with options for vegetarians and vegans as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, I’d like to give a major shoutout to my parents! As artists themselves, I know that they understand the passion and desire to create as much as I do. I’m also aware of the sacrifices they had to make for me to be able to pursue my dreams. My parents have always made the most with their limited resources, and even helped me to build a small studio that I could make work out of. I would not have or be able to do pottery full-time without their support. I would also like to give a shoutout to my ceramics professor, Kevin Myers, at Orange Coast College! It was at his local studio I started taking my first pottery lessons, and with his invitation I entered and completed the Ceramics program at OCC. I had the best time learning and creating at school, and was able to do so because of the environment and resources Kevin provides and maintains for his students. I am continually inspired to make and explore today because of his encouragements & the foundations I built through his program.

Website: joandclay.com

Instagram: joandclay

Other: Email: joandclayy@gmail.com

Image Credits
Personal photo & action photo (myself working on the pottery wheel wearing black) taken by Arjay Bernardino All other photos taken by Joanne Paek