About
Kari Woo
Kari identifies equally as a studio jeweller and interdisciplinary artist. She's made her living for the past two decades through her custom jewellery designs and her minimalist inspired collections which comprise her brand Draw the Line Jewelry. In recent years her adjacent interdisciplinary practice has been drawing more of her time and attention as she is compelled by themes of home, belonging and stories of community.
Woo's accomplished mixed media works, which focus largely on issues of cultural identity, diasporic experiences and appropriation, have been exhibited across Canada and internationally. They are held in both municipal and provincial art collections. Other past works range from installations, performances and sculpture to interactive art objects and public art. Kari is a fine art school graduate (AUArts, 2003), a former brick + mortar shop owner, a community organizer + collaborator, entrepreneur, avid gardener and aspiring sculptor.
She's always researching and finding new intersections between ideas and materials. This is where the she is creatively most intrigued. She loves chatting about these things over strong coffee and preferably under a forest canopy, beside a creek, or with a mountain view.
Artist CV
Education
2003
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS Degree with Distinction [Honors]
Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Select Exhibitions
2025
INAUGURAL EXHIBITION, AFA Art House
Calgary, AB
2023/2024
CULTURE & KIN : Reclaiming the Chinese Narrative through Contemporary Art, Invitational Exhibition
The Confluence, Calgary, AB
WE WERE HERE, Group Exhibition
Heritage Park, Calgary, AB
2022
COLOUR THEORY, Curated, Co-Adorn Group Exhibition
Studio 21, Halifax, NS / NYCJW22, New York City, U.S.A.
2021/2022
DEMOCRACY OF JEWELLERY, Curator, Group Exhibition
Discovery Gallery, Alberta Craft Council, Edmonton, AB / Alberta Craft Gallery, Calgary, AB
2020
PERSONAL + MATERIAL GEOGRAPHIES, Juried Group Exhibition, catalogue
Craft Council of British Columbia hosted by the Italian Cultural Center, Vancouver, B.C.
2018
PLACE: An Exhibition of BC and AB Contemporary Jewellery and Objects, Juried
Society of North American Goldsmiths Conference, Portland, OR, USA
2017
NAKED CRAFT, Touring Juried Group Exhibition (2015-17), catalogue
Naked Craft Project: Survey of Contemporary Craft Practices in Canada & Scotland
Canada : Art Gallery of Burlington, Centre Materia (Quebec City), Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Scotland: Swanson Gallery (Thurson), The Iona Gallery (Inverness), Craft Town Scotland, Barony Centre (West KIlbride), Tweeddale Museum & Art Gallery (Peebles), An Lanntair (Stornoway, Isle of Lewis)
2016
UNEXPECTED, Juried Exhibition
Craft Council of British Columbia, Granville Island, Vancouver, B.C.
2015
BOW BIENNIALE, Curated Group Exhbition
Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, AB
Professional Experience
2025
PROJECT LEAD, Public Art Team (Since 2024)
Calgary Arts Development, Calgary, AB
2024
SOLE PROPRIETOR, Shine Design (Since 2003)
Small Business: Jewellery Design, Production and Distribution, Calgary/Cochrane, AB
2022
JUROR, Collection Acquisitions
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB
2019
COMMUNITY CONSULTANT, Cultural Master Plan
Town of Canmore Arts + Culture Department, Canmore, AB
2018
VISITING ARTIST, Jewellery Studio
Kootenay School for the Arts, Selkirk College, Nelson, B.C.
2017
VISITING ARTIST, Faculty of Animation, Art + Design
Sheridan College, Oakville, ON
2016
JUROR, Grants for individuals and Organizations in Fine Craft
Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa, ON
Public Commissions
2025
ART WALK IN THE WOODS, Temporary Site Specific Installation
Canmore Nordic Centre, Canmore, AB
2016
ART WALK IN THE WOODS, Temporary Site Specific Installation
Canmore Nordic Centre, Canmore, AB
2015
GEORGINA THOMSON PUBLIC ART PROJECT, City of Calgary Georgina Thomson Building
Calgary, AB
Awards
2024
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT GRANT, Alberta Foundation for the Arts
ARTIST MICRO-GRANT, Calgary Arts Development
2022
MADE IN ALBERTA AWARDS, Fashion + Accessories Winner, Avenue Magazine, Calgary AB
2021
TOM McFALL HONOUR AWARD, Alberta Craft Council
2018
VISUAL ARTS + NEW MEDIA PROJECT GRANT, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, AB
2017
MAYOR’S SPOTLIGHT FOR THE ARTS AWARD, Canmore, AB
2016
ACAD ALUMNI AWARD OF HONOUR, Alberta College of Art & Design, Calgary, AB
Collections
2018
Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, AB
2015
Nickle Galleries, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
