For Yongjae Kim, a Pawtucket-based industrial designer, succeeding as an artist is all about understanding supply and demand.
“One of the most important rules I learned is the balance between maker and consumer. Whether you’re working in ceramic, fabric, paper – it’s all about connecting maker and consumer,” said the 2015 Rhode Island School of Design graduate.
Rhode Island's Market Has Changed. Developers, Builders, Investors and Sellers Must Change With It.
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A South Korea native, Kim is the founder of Sharemelon, a design company he opened in 2015. With the help of three employees, he designed a portable wooden wine rack and ceramic tableware.
One of Sharemelon’s more popular products is Melonnote, an up-cycled notebook made of recycled paper materials. Kim brainstormed the product when, as a junior, he was working at 2nd Life, RISD’s recycling center, and saw a lot of paper products go unused.
“Unlike other materials, old papers were not selling well and I thought they could be more valuable as an advertisement source,” he explained.
In addition to saving paper, Melonnote taps into Providence’s printmaking history, said Kim, providing a platform for local businesses to advertise to the city’s student population. •
