Department of Three-Dimensional Arts (3D Arts) Faculty & Department Administrators

Ceramicist & Alum Sam Kim Creates One-of-a-Kind Awards for MassArt’s 2024 Common Good Award Honorees

Sam Kim '18 BFA

Alumni

Photo courtesy of Sam Kim

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On Saturday, December 7, 2024, community members gathered to honor individuals fostering positive change at the second annual MassArt Common Good Awards.

In keeping with the tradition of honoring each recipient with a unique award, this year’s honorees recieved custom-made, inscribed ceramic pieces by Korean-American artist and designer Sam Kim, a 2018 graduate of MassArt’s Industrial Design and Ceramics program. Kim’s innovative approach to slipcasting transforms a process traditionally used for mass production into one that creates distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces.

Kim discovered his passion for ceramics while studying Industrial Design at MassArt, where he was drawn to clay’s malleable and moldable nature. His work seamlessly blends the precision of industrial design with the expressive possibilities of clay, resulting in pieces that are both functional and visually dynamic.

Slipcasting, a process involving liquid clay poured into molds, serves as the foundation of Kim’s practice. He challenges its conventional use by carefully layering and stacking molds to ensure each piece is unique. His aesthetic is defined by what he terms “offsets”—intentional slants and geometric contours that combine curves with sharp cuts. These features add movement and tension to his work, transforming a traditionally uniform process into a method for creating truly personal and distinctive objects.

In addition to his artistic practice, Kim co-founded Slow Hands Studio in Lowell with his studio partner, Leena Cho. Together, they have built a creative space dedicated to producing thoughtfully designed ceramics and exploring new possibilities in the medium. Outside the studio, Kim draws inspiration from his everyday rituals, whether brewing the perfect cup of coffee, cycling through the city, exploring new technologies, or playing video games.

Kim’s work has been featured in exhibitions such as Lines of Korea, Cultural Context, and the State of Clay Biennial. His custom-designed pieces for the MassArt Common Good Awards reflect his dedication to craftsmanship and his vision for pushing the boundaries of ceramic design.

Pushing Visual Boundaries as an Illustrator

Abby Ouellette '19 BFA

MassArt alumna Abby Ouellette ’19 explores girlhood, nostalgia, and editorial illustration as a bold, boundary-pushing freelance illustrator.

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A young woman with long hair gazes thoughtfully to the side, holding her hands near her face. She has white nail polish, rings, and wears bows on her fingers—an evocative illustration lit with purple and blue hues.

MassArt Alum Alex Small-Butera Wins Emmy for Animation

Alex Small-Butera '08 BFA

Alex Small-Butera sat down for an interview to explain about how he and Lindsay got from here to there, rising in their careers to receive this mark of achievement from Hollywood on their ability as animators, as artists.

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Lindsay and Alex Small-Butera dressed in formal clothing on the red carpet at the 2024 Emmy Awards.

MassArt graduate and professional artist Nicole Chesney reflects on the power and magic of the MassArt Auction

Nicole Chesney ’97 BFA Glass

Alumni

Nicole Chesney '97 BFA, a longtime supporter of the MassArt Auction, transforms glass into luminous works while fostering connections and opportunities for future generations of artists.

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Each year, artists from across disciplines donate work to the MassArt Auction.

The MassArt Auction is the College’s largest fundraising event, and since 2015, it has raised over $1 million annually for student scholarships and academic programs. Nicole Chesney has been an active participant since 1997, donating artwork in support of current and future MassArt students.

Painting on glass of a textured gradient of black and white with a strong horizon line.

Nicole Chesney, Candeo, 2023
Oil on acid-etched and mirrored glass
60 × 60 × 1 1/2 in | 152.4 × 152.4 × 3.8 cm

The MassArt Auction has had an enormous impact on me. When I was a senior, I sold a print in the silent auction—it was the first or maybe second piece I ever sold. A work of art doesn’t exist without a viewer, so knowing that someone wanted my work enough to live with it, let alone part with any money, just felt amazing. And it was so affirming to see it included in such an exciting exhibition.

Over the years, I’ve given at least 20 pieces, and I’ve come to meet many people who’ve collected my work or discovered it for the first time through the Auction. If someone’s interested in your work—even if they’re not buying it—they come and find you. And that’s incredibly important because there’s no substitute for having a conversation in front of your work with someone curious about it. Many of the relationships I made through the Auction have become very meaningful and important to me. It’s the difference between meeting a consumer, someone who purchases an object for the sake of possession, versus a collector who’s more interested in a sense of stewardship or a patron who wants to get to know the artist. They see those acquisitions as an investment in the future work of the artist. And making those connections is invaluable.

The Auction is a fun party, but it isn’t just about the event itself, or even the exhibition of work. It’s about the collective understanding that everything there is made by people who have a deep connection to the school, whether they’re current students, alumni, or faculty. And it’s about investing in students’ education, and by extension, investing in the work they’re making. The artists participating in the Auction believe in that mission as deeply as anyone, and I’m grateful that I’ve been able to take part and give artwork that has translated into resources for students.