“I wanted to create a piece that symbolizes love, care, and inclusion.”
-Olga Yukhno
Cherished by Olga Yukhno
At the Jasper Project, we were excited to chat with our spring 2023 cover artist, Olga Yukhno, about her newest piece of public art, Cherished. Read on to learn more about the process of creating this beautiful piece of art, then visit Cherished at its new home in Chapin, SC.
JASPER: What is the material content for Cherished?
YUKHNO: The base of my newest public art piece Cherished is made out of concrete. Then the forms were decorated with a combination of ceramic pieces that I made, mirrors and a selection of old china pieces, mostly from old plates. The plates were donated to St. Francis Thrift Shop but couldn’t be sold due to chips or imperfections. I was excited by the idea of once cherished items finding a new life through art.
JASPER: Can you talk about the process of creating Cherished?
YUKHNO: Every step pf this process was fairly new for me which created a lot of additional excitement. First, I made a template that I later used to create a life-size maquette to make sure I liked the overall look. Once I made all the changes based on this initial experience, I created the final template that was used to cut the mold pieces out of thick plywood. Then the molds were assembled and helped determine the best placement for the actual piece.
The next step was to pour the base which was quite challenging as it took more concrete than we had anticipated. Once the base slab cured several days later, we started filling the vertical molds with concrete. We had to do it in small sections to avoid putting too much pressure on the molds. Finding just the right moment before the previous layer of poured concrete got too hard was key. After a few days of curing, the forms were ready to be mosaiced. Meanwhile, I spent several days in my home studio preparing the mosaic bits, breaking plates, cutting mirrors, and developing the design so I wouldn’t have to do it on site.
Every element of the design was carefully marked and transported to the site. It took me several 10-hour workdays to install all the mosaic pieces. Once this process was complete, the art piece was ready for the final step- grouting.
Cherished by Olga Yukhno in progress
JASPER: What was the inspiration for this piece?
YUKHNO: When I first moved to the United States, I had the unique honor to get connected with St. Francis, and the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at the thrift store for over 4 years. The volunteers I met while working there created such a safe and welcoming environment and were always the most supportive and encouraging people. They helped me understand the culture, and I could always tell how much they cared. I have remained close with many of them even now, 15 years later. This has created a very special place in my heart for the thrift store, and the people who are involved with it, and I wanted to have the opportunity to give back through my art to the community who gave me so much.
I wanted to create a piece that symbolizes love, care, and inclusion. The Thrift Shop serves people of all walks of life, backgrounds, and needs. I wanted my piece to say “Welcome” to them and “Thank You” to the volunteers who work so hard to help others.
JASPER: How long did the process of creating the piece take?
YUKHNO: I first came up with this idea in August 2023, and it took about a year to make it happen which is a very quick turn-around when it comes to public art. I started collecting all the materials in January, and it took about 5 months to get enough for the piece. The onsite construction of Cherished lasted another month.
“…it reflects a deep belief that I hold- that art should be where we live our daily lives. So having it in a place that serves a very diverse population is significant for me.”
JASPER: Where is it located?
YUKHNO: Cherished is located in front of St. Francis Community Thrift Shop (114 Courtland Rd) in Chapin.
Its location is very important for me because it reflects a deep belief that I hold- that art should be where we live our daily lives. So having it in a place that serves a very diverse population is significant for me.
JASPER: Did you receive funding for this work – from whom?
YUKHNO: This project is supported by the SC Arts Commission through their Emerging Artist Grant. Public Art is a new artistic discipline for me, and this grant gave me an opportunity to improve my skills, get additional mentorship and professional support.
JASPER: What other pieces of public art have you created?
YUKHNO: Public Art is a very exciting new artistic path for me. I have already created several pieces including Spirit of the Lake that is located in Chapin, In Bloom that was displayed in public spaces in both North and South Carolina, The Rainbow Boat again in Chapin for their Sail Into Chapin event. I also participated in the Vista Power Boxes project.
JASPER: Please tell us about any other pieces of public art you have in the works or hope to create soon.
YUKHNO: Currently, I’m working with the Columbia Peace Committee to create a new sculptural installation, Persimmon Peace Pole, to promote the idea of peace which is particularly crucial right now. It will be a seven-foot tall sculptural mosaiced piece that will have hand sculpted floral elements and tiles.
On a separate note, Cherished is not the only project that has come to fruition recently. I have been working on a special series of multi-media artwork dedicated to dementia for several years now. And, finally, I have an amazing opportunity to share it with the public. I’m participating in a two-person exhibition featuring the work of late Harry Hansen and my new pieces at the Jones-Carter Gallery in Lake City, SC. I love this Gallery and the opportunity to show my work there is a dream come true!
This exhibition, Bridges to Personhood, opens on June 21 and will be on view through August 17.