Organic stone sculpture by Julianna Yau

I've been working away at a new sculpture in the past few days. Just something small to get me back into the groove. I can't seem to get away from creating shapes that are essentially sea shells, and I'm not sure whether that's good or bad. I had a thought of making a section of the stone thinner to focus light through it, but then remembered the alabaster I'm working with on that particular piece is not translucent. I'm struggling a bit with how to keep the beauty of the simple form but make it more sculptural than a shell. Beautiful as shells are, I feel like an imposter of nature by turning out something already perfected eons ago.

After over a year, I have finally settled into a new studio! Searching for a suitable rental space quickly became a chore, with spaces either too big, too small, improperly ventilated, too expensive or in an unsafe area. So I bit the bullet and had my own studio built---it's not fancy, but it's more than adequate. I've already started working again, and am looking forward to much time in my little cove getting ready for my show in the spring.

The images below will take you to more photos of the completed studio, and studio construction photos are also available.

As many of you know, I have been without a studio for a year now. Finding new studio space had occupied my time for several months, and I was faced with all of the same hurdles I and other artists have faced. The biggest problem, of course, was finding a building that was safe, affordable, and appropriate for my type of work. After a few failed deals with a building, I resigned to focus on other projects and other aspects of my sculpting career for a while.

In that time, I have focused on creating and growing Culture Blast, a premier arts calendar for the Grand River Region. This website has also gotten a much-needed overhaul, and is now equipped to handle online sales.

The best thing about this time is it has allowed me to get ready for a studio again.

After much studio "shopping", I have finally and very reluctantly decided to work in a temporary studio for a while. I was close to signing leases on studios a few times, but the conditions (of the lease and the situation) weren't exactly ideal. With 2Picas keeping me very busy, and lots of activity in my personal life, I've decided that sculpting will be on the back-burner this year. I'm hoping to do some sculpting again in the fall, but I'll otherwise be focused mainly on research and administration activities.

I've been on a sculpting break for almost three months now, after my trip to Japan, moving out of Globe Studios, and a trip to Paris. I've been formally out of Globe Studios for a month, but not sculpting for three, aside from my participating in this year's spOtlight festival.

Moving out of Globe Studios was a difficult decision, but at this time the right one for me. I'm currently looking for studio space, and am close to finalizing papers. It feels like I have to go through this every few years, and I've already gone through most of the very few artist-friendly buildings in Kitchener-Waterloo. I'm hoping to find something more permanent this time.

Today, I received my formal letter from the Ontario Arts Council confirming that I am a receipient of one of their micro grants to hold a sculpting demonstration at the spOtlight festival. I gratefully acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council for making this possible for myself, artists and arts supporters in the Waterloo Region.

spOtlight is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Culture and produced by the Ontario Arts Council

It's been nearly a month since I've been sculpting regularly. Back in October, I launched 2Picas with my friend Adriana, and business really started to pick up in February. This month, I'm determined to be at the studio at least five days a week, including some long hauls during the weekend. The latest sculpture is developing very nicely, and should be done before I go to Tokyo at the end of the month. Whether that happens depends on how many times I return to the studio to realize that I can add even more definition to the grooves in the sculpture.

My latest sculpture is coming along, and it's hit the point where the majority of the shape is defined and the sculpture needs to be refined and honed. I have much non-sculpting work to do, and will be making time to get this sculpture done. It's close enough to completion that I can't stand it being "unperfect"... but I know from experience that I have at least another 20 hours of sculpting ahead of me.

I'm loving Italian alabaster more as I continue to file and grind away at it. The glow I get from light pushing through the stone is almost effortless. I'm hoping to find other varieties of stone like this so I don't need to make the stone wafer-thin before the light shines through it.

I've made much progress on my latest sculpture in the past few days. The beauty of the stone is astounding, and I can only hope that I'm doing it justice with what I have in mind.

Photos of my latest work-in-progress are now available. This is my first one in Italian white alabaster, which I'm loving. It's much more translucent than the Colorado white and the Mexican orange I've been sculpting for the past little while, so I won't need to make it as thin to get the light effects I want.

Here are a few of the photos: