Under the warm sunshine of Los Angeles, Ibi works day and night with one goal: to spread the true beauty of Korea.
Ibi Yoo is the founder of Studio Kō, an online lifestyle select shop selling Korean artisanal crafts. Her products share a message that even lifestyle goods that we use daily, have equivalent beauty to art pieces in galleries.
Buncheong(粉靑/분청) ware is a form of traditional Korean stoneware, with a bluish-green tone. Pots are coated with a white slip, and decorative designs are painted on using an iron pigment. The style of stoneware arose in the 14th century and continues today.
The style emerged in the early Joseon dynasty, largely replacing the style of celadon in common use. In contrast to the refined elegance of Goryeo celadon, buncheong is designed to be natural, unassuming, and practical.
In 2009 Seoyen Kiley Choi started Yenworks, a collection of functional and decorative ceramics. Each piece is made by hand in her Glendale Studio, with inspiration coming from time spent outdoors, seeing nature's colors and shapes.
Seoyen Kiley Choi spent her childhood in Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan where she was exposed to each culture's craftsmanship. Formal education was in Seoul Woman's University where she received a degree in Ceramics and Fiber Art.
Chungja Series
“I wanted to bring Korean Celadon masters’ craftsmanship into my work. I begin with clay color as ground in order to reference and simulate the material of the celadon as ceramic. Then I add layers of colors close to Celadon. I repeat the process over and over until I feel proper balance has been achieved.
Chungja Series is my attempt to find my identity as Korean American immigrant.”
- Yoory Jung
Our beautiful Korean Chungja aka celadon ceramics are individually hand-made by Jinho Choi, a ceramicist based in Seoul.
Chungja(chung-jah) ceramics have a deep history in Korea, initially produced during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 CE), and regarded as some of the finest pottery created at the time. It's hallmark pale green luster is reminiscent of jade and is notable for it's unique surface pattern, becoming some of the most prized collector items in the world of ceramics.
