Mijin Kwon
Mijin Kwon uses oil paint to depict the essence of her surroundings and is inspired by Wayne Thiebaud’s works at SFMOMA, Richard Diebenkorn, and her own daily experiences. This current series, ‘Moments at That Time: San Francisco’ uses the elements of composition, color, light, and texture, to convey each moment. Additionally, her artistic palette has been enriched by the contemporary work of artists like Terry Miura, William Wray, and Ben Aronson.
“The comfort and familiarity of home, family, and a sense of belonging that had faded upon leaving my home country of Korea were gradually replaced by the excitement and novelty of encountering a new environment, people, and culture. Over time, what was once new seamlessly transformed into my daily life, and the frequency of moments that compelled me to pause diminished. However, by capturing the beauty of everyday life, I find comfort and belonging in these fragments of time. Each experience became a source of inspiration and motivation” – Mijin Kwon
Mijin Kwon – Warm Glow on Sutter Street – oil on canvas 12″ x 12″ $550
Mijin Kwon – Sunset Harmony with Pink Clouds – oil on canvas 30″ x 24″ $2,000
Mijin Kwon – Transamerica Pyramid at Sunset oil on canvas 40″ x 30″ $3,450
Mijin Kwon – Walking Downhill in SF – oil on canvas 24″ x 24″ $1450
Mijin Kwon – Sunny Day at Crissy Field – oil on canvas 12″ x 36″ $1,100
ARTIST STATEMENT
My paintings capture the vibrant urban landscape scene, utilizing oil as my medium to depict the essence of my surroundings. I was inspired by my experiences during the senior year of my BFA course, where exposed to Wayne Thiebaud’s works at SFMOMA and the cityscape painting class at the Academy of Art University. My current painting series, ‘Moments at That Time: San Francisco,’ captures the beauty of the city, revealing scenes that might be overlooked in daily life. Using elements such as composition, color, light, and texture, I convey each moment effectively. Inspired by my daily experiences, I incorporate value and/or color studies, drawing from photos that naturally catch my attention. These paintings transform ordinary moments into cherished memories on canvas, reflecting the life of San Francisco. To enhance each scene, I apply a full palette and expressive brushwork, often experimenting with techniques like bubble wrap and rubber to create diverse textures. In my recent works, I incorporate expressive mark-making in the undertone, layered with representational elements on top. For example, in ‘Night Walk in the Spring Rain,’ I capture city street reflections during a rainy night, using bold colors and brushstrokes to create an ordinary scene into an exceptional, dreamlike experience.
Living in California, I was naturally influenced by local artists such as Wayne Thiebaud and Richard Diebenkorn, along with iconic figures like Claude Monet and Edward Hopper. Additionally, my artistic palette has been enriched by the contemporary work of artists like Terry Miura, William Wray, and Ben Aronson. Their distinct concepts and styles consistently provide me with profound inspiration and the motivation to perpetuate my artistic endeavors.
Exploring new experiences often engages our senses, while familiar sights offer comfort and a sense of belonging. Despite being overlooked, these everyday moments hold significant memories that grow over time. The comfort and familiarity of home, family, and a sense of belonging that had faded upon leaving my home country were gradually replaced by the excitement and novelty of encountering a new environment, people, and culture. Over time, what was once new seamlessly transformed into my daily life, and the frequency of moments that compelled me to pause diminished. However, by capturing the beauty of everyday life, I find comfort and belonging in these fragments of time. Each experience became a source of inspiration and motivation, and I discovered joy in simple activities like strolling around, absorbing the scenery, feeling the day’s weather, and relishing moments of solitude.
Through the paintings, I share these rediscovered moments, inviting viewers to explore the city’s beauty, painting by painting.
BIO
MIJIN KWON
Born and raised in South Korea.
Currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Mijin Kwon, a Korean artist, specializes in capturing the essence of her surroundings through vibrant urban landscape paintings. Her passion for painting started when she was little and led her to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Painting and Drawing and her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting, both from the Academy of Art University. She has participated in multiple group exhibitions and featured in several art magazines, including Southwest Art Magazine’s “21 Under 31: Young Artists to Watch in 2021.”
CV
Education
2023 Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
Master of Fine Arts, Painting
2019 Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting and Drawing
Awards/Honors
2024 Honorable Mention Award, ‘The 5th International CFA Artist of the Year Contest’, Circle Foundation for the Arts
Best in Show, ‘Artist Invitational VIII (8) – International Juried Art Exhibition’, Camelback Gallery
2023 Selected for the feature, ‘Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine Contest’, Circle Foundation for the Arts
Artistic Recognition Award, ‘2023 Oils Competition’, Art and Color 365
Selected for the feature, ‘Artistonish – October 2023 artist call’, Artistonish
Selected for the feature, ‘Artist of the Month Competition’, Camelback Gallery
MFA Cityscape Award, ‘(Annual) Spring Show’, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2022 100 Finalists, ‘12th annual Artistic Excellence Competition’, Southwest Art Magazine
2021 MFA Cityscape Award, ‘(Annual) Spring Show’, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2018 BFA Figurative 1st Place, ‘(Annual) Spring Show’, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2017 BFA Small Works Award, ‘(Annual) Spring Show’, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Moments at That Time: San Francisco, Nine Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2019 Moods of Scenes, 625 Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Group Exhibitions
2024 Delicious, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
Artist Invitational VIII (8) (International Online Juried Art Exhibition), Camelback Gallery
2023 Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2022 Delicious, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy Galleries at The Cannery, San Francisco, CA
City Streets – Urban Views of the Bay Area, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Terrain – Views of California, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2021 Tiny, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Online Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2020 Tiny, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2019 Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2018 Tiny, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2017 Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2016 Spring Show (Fine Art-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
2015 Spring Show (Foundation-Juried), Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA
Auctions / Fundraisers
2024 Heron 100 (ArtSpan’s Golden Juried Benefit Art Auction), Heron Arts, San Francisco, CA
2022 Auction for San Francisco-Marine Food Bank, STUDIO Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2019 24th Annual Faculty+Alumni Fine Art Auction (Juried), Academy Galleries at The Cannery, San Francisco, CA
Press / Online Catalog
2024 “Daily Inspiration: Meet Mijin Kwon” by Local Stories. Voyage LA Magazine
“그 때 그 순간들 샌프란시스코”. The Korea Times. A2 (Feb 23rd, 2024)
2023 “Refusés of the Bay”. A Collaborative Art Project from Metal Haus Gallery and Voss Gallery. Online Catalog. p100
“Circle Quarterly Art Review” by Myrina Tunberg Georgiou, Circle Foundation for the Arts. p96
“Artistonish, Issue #39 October 2023”, Artistonish. P28
2021 “21 Under 31: Young Artists to Watch in 2021 ” by Bonnie Gangelhoff. Southwest Art Magazine
(August/September 2021 issue). p96
1101 Lake Street at 12th Avenue
San Francisco CA 94118
415-750-9955