So Yeon Kim is an artist, teacher, and the creative force behind
The Open Art Lab in East Nashville. Her love of making started young, attending an art-focused high school and later studying at Tama Art University in Japan, where she honed her skills in fine art and design. Equally important were her early experiences in mixed-age, open creative spaces, where people of all ages came together simply to play, experiment, and make art—no pressure, no judgment.

Growing up between cultures and navigating language barriers, So Yeon discovered that art was her most honest way to communicate. That spirit of curiosity and self-expression is at the heart of how she teaches today: encouraging exploration, celebrating mistakes, and helping everyone find confidence in their own creative voice.

So Yeon is also an active professional tattoo artist, specializing in watercolor, realism, and fine-line work. Her ongoing tattoo practice sharpens her eye for detail, composition, and color, and those skills flow directly into how she approaches teaching at The Open Art Lab—bringing precision, creativity, and a love of experimentation to every class.

What sets So Yeon apart as an instructor is her ability to blend professional-level art training with a process-focused, inclusive approach. She doesn’t teach toward a single “correct” outcome—instead, she builds structure that supports exploration while leaving room for each person’s pace, background,
and way of thinking.

While she is continuing to grow her experience teaching children, she is deeply intentional about how those classes are designed. She is especially mindful of pressure, comparison, and perfectionism—patterns she personally experienced and works to counter. Her goal is to offer the kind of creative environment she once needed herself: a space where people of all ages, skill levels, and experiences can gather, create, and feel accepted exactly as they are.

At The Open Art Lab, So Yeon designs classes that are playful, thoughtful, and process-focused. Whether working with kids, adults, or private learners, her goal is always the same: to spark curiosity, inspire experimentation, and help students fall in love with making art.

Through her studio, So Yeon invites everyone to slow down, explore, and discover the joy of creating, building confidence and curiosity one brushstroke—or pencil line—at a time.