Meet Yuliya Gabriella | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yuliya Gabriella and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yuliya, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I have always been drawn to the idea of creating something that reflects my unique perspective and allows me to communicate my thoughts and emotions to others. I absolutely love the creative process. There is something truly magical about starting with a blank canvas and turning it into a finished work of art. The process of exploring new techniques, experimenting with different mediums, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible is incredibly fulfilling to me, it constantly challenges me to grow and evolve as an artist. There is always something new to learn, whether it’s mastering a new technique or exploring a different genre of art. This constant challenge and opportunity for growth is what keeps me motivated and inspired as an artist.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I find inspiration in geometry and nature, as well as when I read philosophy books. When an art idea comes to me, the hardest part is figuring out how to bring it to life. For example, in one of my latest works, ‘Perceptions,’ I wanted the color to change as the viewer passed from one side to the other. It took a couple of months and various trials of mediums and materials to figure out how to attach strips of paper vertically to the canvas to create a flow pattern, and how to paint them so that the color would change seamlessly. What sets my art apart is the time put into it, the perfection of the details, the perfect symmetry, and balance. My latest piece, ‘Metamorphosis,’ took 90 hours to create. I began by studying shapes and angles and how they form patterns. Then I calculated the precise measurements for the 3D triangle that would form a hexagon when laid out on the canvas. After hand-painting the paper, I cut it into thin strips that formed the shape I needed. Every little deviation in cuts or folds resulted in a change in the shape of the triangle, so I needed all 240 of them to be exactly the same size and width to form the perfect and symmetrical pattern. Since the paper I used to create the triangles was smooth, I wanted the surface of the canvas to be equally smooth. Therefore, I applied five thin layers of gesso, sanding the canvas after each layer had dried. Then I laid out all the triangles one by one to form the pattern.
As I use various mediums and techniques, there is always an opportunity to learn, sometimes through my own mistakes. For example, in one of the pieces of ‘Perceptions,’ the epoxy didn’t cure properly due to the cold weather in the studio, and the piece was ruined. I was devastated because it takes about 140 hours to complete each piece, and the piece that got ruined was in the middle of the triptych, so I had no other choice but to remake it. The lesson on curing temperatures of epoxy has been learned the hard way 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To start my weekends off right, I like to take a stroll along White Rock Lake. I absolutely love that place for the opportunity to unwind and reconnect with nature. When I’m looking to go out in Dallas, some of my favorite spots include The Mexican, Beverly’s, and Knox Bistro. For a night out, I love the intimate ambiance of Cliffton Club and Bowen House.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am extremely grateful for the guidance and support of my friend Gabrielle Benot, an established artist who has taught me so much about how to navigate the art world. Her mentorship and advice have been invaluable in helping me grow as an artist and establish myself in the industry. I owe a great deal of my success to their insights and encouragement.”

Website: yuliyagabriella.com

Instagram: Yuliya.gabriella