Sung Eun Kim

Born in South Korea in 1985, Sung eun Kim has been studying and creating art since he was very young. After he graduated from Daejeon Art High School in South Korea, he came to United State to pursue his study of painting, and finished his BFA at the California College of the Arts in 2010. After graduation, he worked as a freelance illustrator of children’s books for two years. Then, because of his enthusiasm and passion for painting, he began his MFA program at the Academy of Art University in 2012 and has continued developing his artistic style.
Most of his paintings are based on photographs he took and are chosen according to his own tastes. His paintings attempt to create a sense of atmosphere and light not necessarily present in the source of the photograph, but are interpreted through his memories and life experience as he studies the photo while he is painting. He does this through the decisions he makes when he translates photo images into the painting: color choices, reconstructing of shapes, points of rendering.
Regarding the degree of realism found in his work, it ranges between realistic depiction and unrecognizable abstraction. In order to express his search for that particular degree of depiction that represents his in-the-moment impression, he sometimes describes as much information in the photo as possible, like photo-realism. At other times, in rendering the constructions in the photo, he does not necessarily follow the exact form of the figures, but paints with more flexibility. He tries to capture a sense of flowing atmosphere on figures represented in his paintings. The same applies to expressions of color. To bring out and emphasize the light in the painting as he sensed the light when he took the photos, the selection of pigments is sometimes simple, as can be seen in the original photo and other times divided and switched to colors of his own expression. In other words, his paintings are about how he can interpret the images in a way that represents his own personal, artistic, and visual interests.     


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Education

2015 Painting M.F.A Academy of Art University

2010 Painting and Drawing, B.F.A California College of the Arts


Exhibitions

​2017     Aspect, Sung Eun Kim Solo Exhibition, Hang Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2016     Wish you were here, Online exhibition, Hang Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                 32 Years Anniversary Exhibition, Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

                 Young Masters, Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

                 Small Gems, Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

2015     Inventory Salon, Hang Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
 
                 Front Lines Exhibition, Hang Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                 First Annual Emerging Artists Exhibition, Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art, Charleston, SC

                 31 Years Anniversary Exhibition, Waterhouse Gallery, CA

                 Emerging Artist Exhibition, Ella Richardson Gallery, Charleston, SC

                 Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

                 8x8 Show, Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA

                  City Streets, Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA


2014     30 Years Anniversary Exhibition, Waterhouse Gallery, CA
 
              Urban Beauty Juried Show, Randy Higbee Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA
              
              UNDER ONE Small Works Salon Show, Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA

              Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

              Community Art Project, Clyde & Co, San Francisco, CA

              Streets of San Francisco, Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA

              Spring Group Exhibition –“Recent Arrivals”, Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA

              Small Gems, Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA


2013     Yen Chang and Sung, Duel Exhibition, Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA

              Wine County, Group Exhibition, Christian Daniels Gallery, San Francisco, CA

              Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA


2010     Senior solo show, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA

              Senior group show selected by Jorden Kantor, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA

              Nave Exhibition, selected by John Zurier, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA


2008     A2 Café solo show, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA


Award

2016   Finalist, The Artist's Magazine 33rd Annual Art Competition

2015   Best Building Award, Plein Air Salon competition            
   
              “1st place” in Landscape, Artist’s Magazine Annual Student Competition
              
              “1st Place” MFA Landscape Painting, Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

              Faculty Choice Award, Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

2014     Office Vote Award, Clyde & Co Community Art Project by Clyde &  Co, San Francisco, CA
  
              “1st Place” MFA Landscape Painting, Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

              “2nd Place” MFA Landscape Painting, Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

2013     “2nd Place” MFA Landscape Painting, Annual Spring Show, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA

2012      Presidential Scholarship Award by Academy of Art University. 

Publication

2014        Southwest Art magazine, “Moments of beauty”, P18 by Bonnie Gangelhoff (December)



Occupation

Freelance illustrator 2010- present,

-          Bartleby Goes Swimming, 2011 Education Designers, by Edward Zrudlo

-          Bartleby Jumps over a Rock, 2011 Education Designers, by Edward Zrudlo

-          Windy, 2011 Education Designers, by Edward Zrudlo

-          IB Journey, series Level 5-1~12, ⓒ 2010 e-future & Education Designers, by Edward Zrudlo