The Sculptor who loves Oamaru Stone:  Jin Lee

Why does her stone have such a warm feeling?

Jinseng of Korea, wine of France, Tulips of Netherlands… there is a representative item for the country, for New Zealand, it’s limestone which is popular for construction materials, such as cathedrals, banks, opera houses, etc in Australia and New Zealand, nothing like this type of stone can be found in Korea. According to Jin, “I couldn’t help working with the stone because falling in love with it.” News post interviewed with Jin Lee in person.

Oamaru stone is not familiar to Koreans: The geological name is limestone; there are a few limestone quarries around the world. It’s usually name after region. Jin lee uses New Zealand’s lime stone from Oamaru, North Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. Calciferous shells of marine animals and plants formed limey seabed sediment. This sediment then aged for over 40million years. The stone has an infinite combination of color and texture. That’s the reason why she fell in love with this stone. Jin lee specialized in Ceramic sculpture in Hong-ik art university in Seoul, Korea.

“I had to learn every discipline of ceramic art like sculpture, casting, and pottery, after graduation I started working at an open studio in a gallery as a full time potter in Whagarei, New Zealand. I found making ceramic sculpture in NZ difficult due to a complex process and limited facilities. I started to work with Oamaru stone by chance. I was charmed by the beautiful color and texture, especially the undeniable warmth of the stone.

I had an art show because people seemed to really like my sculptures. The show was a great success, which gave me the idea and the drive to open my own sculpture studio specialized in only Oamaru stone.”

She had set her goal in 1998, and she made her dream come true by opening the Solar Art Studio in Incheon in late 2007. It’s meaningful to specialize in Oamaru stone because the stone itself already reflects the natural beauty and tendencies of human beings as well as the fact that the stone coincides with her interpretation of beauty in this world. Since she found Oamaru limestone, she had so much various other types of projects, like Japanese restaurant interior decoration, LG promotional party design project, murals, and a number of others over the last 8years until finally becoming an Oamaru stone sculptor.

“I can’t think any of other material because of passion in Oamaru stone. I put myself, my carrier, and my life into this stone with my own unique design.” Her gaze at the stone is so full of passion, like lovers looking gazing into each other’s eyes.

She has had a few art exhibitions to share the beauty of Oamaru stone in Korea, and plans to have a very special art show in next year. The art show is going to awake all other senses, using audio –video systems as well as interactive lighting systems conjointly with various exhibited sculptures. She wishes to have a show which has natural beauty and tells a story.

After spending many years working overseas, she felt the very hectic life style in Korea and wanted to help people to feel nature and more centering calmness through her artwork.

Another goal for Jin is to get more involved with government works. There is so much repetition of similar patterns like circles, triangles, rectangles or similar shapes all around Korean buildings and parks. She wishes to see more variety displayed in Oamaru stone works which have a down to earth character like a close neighbor.

“So often I think how it would be so cool to see warm Oamaru stone sculptures when I walk down the street. My ultimate goal is to reinterpret the relationship between Korean tradition, nature, and humanity.” Then added because having a positive attitude makes things more likely to happen, “I hope that many foreigners will visit Korea to see my sculptures in the future. To make that happen, I have to reach my potential.”

News Post June,2009

Reporter Jaeun, Jung "I wish that people from overseas to visit Korea to tour my sculptures someday...... having a positive attitude makes more likely to happen!"

"I wish that people from overseas to visit Korea to tour my sculptures someday...... having a positive attitude makes more likely to happen!"