"In The Rapids Now"
"Grand Journey"
Kimie Joe
Artist Statement
My work emerges from a place where memory and material coincide —where science, culture, and motherhood are not separate paths, but interwoven currents shaping a single voice. I work across oil, epoxy, handmade tile, and woven paper, driven by texture, emotion, and an ongoing investigation.
Born in Boston and based in the South Bay, I came to painting through portraiture—initially as a way of preserving the fragile moments of early motherhood. But the act of making quickly became something larger: an excavation of identity, impermanence, and a medium for storytelling.
My practice is influenced by nature and its acceptance of unpredictability and change. I return to river forms often, both conceptually and visually, using organic shapes, layered surfaces, and a muted palette of earth and water tones to express fluidity, transformation, and the quiet chaos of living. Each work is a vessel of tension: between precision and erosion, past and present, East and West.
I hold a degree in Chemical Engineering and spent years working in aerospace and environmental science. Those years—immersed in systems, data, and design—taught me to see structure beneath disorder. Now, as a visual artist, I let those same instincts dissolve and reform through material experimentation.
In 2024, I founded The Gallery of Hermosa—an artist-run space in the heart of downtown Hermosa Beach, showcasing contemporary work from emerging and established artists across the globe. The gallery offers an evolving program of exhibitions, community events, and curated collaborations that invite conversation, connection, and creative risk.
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