Description
ARTIST STATEMENT
I use traditional Ukrainian loom weaving techniques for contemporary beaded art. As an immigrant, fat, and disabled artist, I strive to create works that center social justice and inclusivity and tell a story with each image. By now, I see much of the world in bead colors.
For materials, I source the rare “perfect cylinder” Toho Aiko beads, woven together with strong fishing line. The beads come in iridescent, metallic, matte, frosted, luster, and more finishes. Venus used 11,956 beads.
This modern take on the classic Botticelli painting centers a fat woman who is admired by all, in a shell made in part with real gold beads. The artwork was inspired by the poem’s line “how to praise the ocean” and its reference to the sea. Today’s Venus embodies the ocean’s vastness and beauty. A variety of bead finishes adds a textured, three-dimensional quality to the piece.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Yuliya is a Ukrainian-born disabled artist based in Chicago. For more than ten years, she worked as a multimedia writer and health journalist. Now she makes beaded art using traditional Ukrainian techniques as a way to reconnect with her culture. In 2024, she started showcasing her work while working as a health reporter—then transitioned to being a full-time artist. Since then, Yuliya’s beading has been featured at 40+ galleries and fairs across the U.S.
© Yuliya Klochan