Bio

Yahel Yan is a San Diego-based Mexican painter exploring the relationship between color and emotion. Frequently attending museums and galleries, Yan was exposed to art from an early age and always knew that she wanted to become a visual artist. She jokes she was born with a crayon in her hand. These childhood experiences of being immersed in the rich, vibrant culture of Mexico continue to impact Yan’s work today. In her abstract and representational work, she explores the relationship between color, imagination, emotion, and memory.

Yan received her undergraduate degree in graphic design from Universidad Del Nuevo Mundo. With a love for both painting and printmaking, she began her career as a professional artist in 2019. Yan has since been selected for solo and group exhibitions throughout California, including From the Masters at Ashton Gallery, Artist Alliance Biennial at Oceanside Museum of Art, and Not an Art Fair (National Show) at ShockBoxx, amongst others. Additionally, she received an award of third place of excellence from the San Diego Museum of Art’s 2022 online International Spring Exhibition and was selected to be part of Jen Tough’s Collective in 2023. Yan paints from her home as well as her studio space located at F1VE ART in Liberty Station.

Statement

My work is an exploration of the depths of imagination and reality. Through abstract and representational painting, I allow personal narratives to unfold and leave room for the viewer to find their own stories within each piece. Although I paint in vastly different styles and mediums––abstraction, realism, acrylic, and oil––I rely on my intuition to be my guide in communicating emotion.

Growing up in Mexico City, I was surrounded by a vibrancy of colors and the pulse of a big metropolis. These childhood memories play into my art in palette, energy, and movement. I approach the creative process with a willingness to explore an array of mediums and techniques that guide my studio practice in exciting new directions. Through each painting, underlying emotions, sensations, and desires emerge to the surface–from joy and romance to grief and healing. Depth is created through layers upon layers of paint, evoking a lifetime of hidden memories.

My artistry is enhanced by my pure passion for creating. Whether I’m painting a chair, a whimsical landscape, or an abstract composition, each collection reflects my optimistic nature and purpose: to bring joy to the viewer.