Sculptor Emil Yanos loves his life in Napa Valley, and tourists flock to the area for many of the same reasons: “Living here allows me to be fully immersed in nature while also enjoying the sophisticated culture that thrives in the region. It’s an unusual combination not found in many places.” Yanos and his partner, architect Loren Kroeger, make their home in Browns Valley, however, Yanos continues to work from his ceramics studio in San Francisco’s Mission District, a space that has been his creative home for decades.

Yanos noted, “It is both the abundance of intriguing natural and geological features in the valley and intellectual opportunities here and in the city that provide the sparks that drive my artistic endeavors.”

Yanos enjoys exploring nature in the valley but also frequents Point Reyes, whose coast provides much inspiration from its tide pools, cliffs, and beaches. Yanos is also influenced by O’ahu, Hawaii, where he grew up. The pods, coral, and botanicals native to Hawaii frequently find expression in Yanos’ ceramic sculptures, if but subconsciously.

Exploring, considering, and manifesting the contrasts he discovers in all things is a center point for Yanos’ work. Yanos expresses these contrasts in the clay through rough vs. smooth textures, glossy vs. matte finishes, variations in size and shape, and subtle color variations, which add a layer of emotional expression, in turn, imparting a deeper meaning to his pieces.

Yanos’ process often begins with his looking at a previous work, considering it, and then using it as either a pushing-off point to move in another direction or as the basis for a variation on a theme. Working the piece through to completion is about following an urge and then letting the clay do the talking and the telling of the story.

Emil Yanos

Born and raised in Hawaii, Yanos moved to the Bay Area in 1983, settling in San Francisco first to study graphic design at the Academy of Art College, then floral design at City College of San Francisco. Both degree programs shaped the work he would go on to do in ceramic sculpture. Over time, Yanos found that the restraints of 2-dimensional graphic design caused a tension that he could only satisfy by creating tangible things – i.e., 3-dimensional pieces.

Initially, it was Yanos’ work with florals that allowed him the opportunity to conceptualize in 3D while also focusing his attention on the finer details of botanical characteristics and patterns. It was also through his floral arranging that Yanos developed “sculpting” skills, though at the time, his medium was flowers instead of clay.

Many of Yanos’ works are influenced by historical and current events. Most recently, he created a series that expresses the impact of the valley’s fires, whereby small, bright shards are strewn across a smoky and roughly textured background. Another series is reminiscent of geological events – with striations that point to the powerful forces that create layered ripples and bubbles under the earth’s crust.

Yanos’ creations can be found in settings throughout the Bay Area, some as themed garden installations, others as individual pieces in home and commercial settings. A favorite set of the artist’s sculptures resides at the Spa at Meadowood Napa Valley. The soothing nature of these pieces makes them especially appropriate for a setting where patrons are anticipating an afternoon of restorative bodywork.

For more information www.emilyanosdesign.com

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