Yael was born and raised in Italy in a visually abundant environment that shaped her love for composition, aesthetics, and visual arts. Her multidisciplinary background informs her current ceramic artwork: working at the intersection of craft, art, and multimedia, she creates functional, sculptural and installation work. She received her BA from the European Institute of Design in Rome, and her MFA from San Francisco State University. In 2021 Yael received the Multicultural Fellowship Award from the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). She is currently an Artist in Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
As the daughter of refugees from North Africa, I grew up in a family that had to leave everything behind but their knowledge, and start over in a foreign country. As a result of this displacement, acquiring knowledge is a value that constantly inspires me to learn and experiment in various art fields. My past training informs my current ceramic artwork: graphic design inspires me to create original patterns for surface decoration – from hand-painted to computer-generated ones. Cinema inspires me to “edit” a form through seams, lights and shadows. Working at the intersection of craft, art, and multimedia, I create functional, sculptural and installation work.