"The nature of the tree is so tolerant; they work with the daily environment. It is real beauty and I really want to express that."
Kye-Yeon Son
Born in South Korea, Kye-Yoen Son earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Seoul and a Masters in Fine Arts in Jewellery Design and Silversmithing from the University of Indiana. Fascinated by metal, she worked to understand, and manipulate it, while becoming familiar with the elements that form it. During the several years that Son spent in Montreal, Lois Etherington Betteridge, the renowned Canadian metalsmith (1978 recipient of Saidye Bronfman Award), became her mentor.
Son’s works have been described as delicate, fragile, elegant and powerful. Often modelled after objects in nature – a leafless tree in winter, a sea-worn beach stone – they speak to resilience, change and harmony with the environment.
In 1995, Son was invited to teach in the Craft division at The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University and continues to develop their jewellery design and metalsmithing program. She has also been invited as a visiting artist for lectures and workshops nationally and internationally. Son has exhibited her works in numerous solo shows and group exhibitions in public and commercial galleries across Canada, the United States, Britain, Germany, Japan, and Korea. In addition, her work has also garnered numerous awards from multiple organizations.
Selected works
