Education
- MFA in Ceramics, The Ohio Sate University
- BFA in Ceramics, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University
- AA, Reedley College
Koen Vrij was born and raised in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. His dream before migrating to the United States was to become a college football player. After his first year of football, he discovered ceramics and practice time became studio time. He received his MFA in Ceramics from The Ohio State University in 2022, BFA in Ceramics from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2018, and AA from Reedley College in 2016. Throughout his career, he has worked as a studio assistant and art handler for several professional studio artists. Besides his role at Urban Arts Space, he is a lecturer for the Department of Art, teaching ceramics.
Outside of work, Koen is a practicing studio artist exhibiting nationally. He has been exploring his immigration through the lenses of nature, horticulture, culture, and architecture. This exploration was sparked in his subconscious while observing the differences between his home country and this new one he has placed himself in. His work begins as a serendipitous encounter with nature, which turns into compositions that juxtapose nature and culture. His approach both visually and conceptually has been influenced by the affinity gained from his upbringing and his travels, which result in recurring patterns of scale, symmetry, and harmony.