Name: Yuri Kim
City: San Jose, CA
Makerspace: DIY Terrarium Station
Day Job: Co-founder of Fractal Flora, along with Sarah Lim. We’re plant moms to many
How’d you get started making? I’ve always been passionate about the arts and making. I was a dancer growing up and I loved to draw and paint in my free time. After college I moved up to the Bay Area from southern California and started a fashion site called Lookbook where people from all over the world could share their style with each other. I also always seem to be picking up a new hobby, be it knitting, cooking, sewing, ceramics, or photography. Whenever I see something new, I want to try it out! Through making I’ve found a way to express myself and take pride in the work I’ve done. I enjoy the problem solving that is involved in hands on projects and it’s always amazing to step back from the finished project and see what you can make with a little bit of creativity and work.
How’d you get started conducting workshops to help other people making? Our workshops started as a way to help people connect to their terrariums in a personal way. We feel that if you build your own mini world and care for and observe this world you will become more aware of the greater world around you. We have learned so many amazing lessons from the plants we care for, and we apply these lessons to our everyday lives.
What type of maker would you classify yourself as? I think I’m a perfectionist maker. It took me a while to realize that projects go through stages of hate and love. Generally I love an idea, and I start making it only to think it looks horrible and then as the project finishes up I can see why I was initially excited for it. I feel like a lot of projects are like this, but you learn to be open minded and ride the project out till the end!
What’s your favorite thing you’ve made? I love the preserved moss and fern walls we create. They require absolutely no care, light, or water and you still get to enjoy the beauty of nature indoors.
What’s something you’d like to make next? We love the look of plants in the vertical space and are experimenting with vertical plant hangers! Also, we just got our first studio and are excited to decorate our new space!
Any advice for people reading this? Mix your passions! I love to use knowledge or tools from one field and use it in a completely different way in another field.
Where can people find you at Maker Faire Bay Area? We are located in the SF Bazaar tent in the South lot. Come say hi and build a custom terrarium!
Where can people find you on the web? You can find us on our website and on Instagram and Facebook @fractalflora.
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