Artist Spotlight: Michaela Yearwood-Dan

We’ve been loving Michaela Yearwood-Dan's work, and are excited to dive deeper into her world this week.

It’s hard not to love Yearwood-Dan’s works. Vibrant pinks, blues, yellows, and greens erupt upon the canvas, forming mesmerising swirls and configurations. These rich and lively colours pay homage to Carnival culture and her West Indian heritage, invoking images of lush landscapes. Yearwood-Dan’s work defies conventional representations of identity and history, going beyond established notions of race and gender to become something uniquely her own.

Her focus on abstraction is a deliberate choice. As a queer Black woman, she found that she could integrate her practice within a larger context of abstract art, allowing her to more easily transcend categorisations of gender, race, and sexuality. Her works encourage deeper introspection, exploring a range of issues pertinent to millennials — a term she strongly identifies with.

Yearwood-Dan’s artistic expression has evolved beyond painting to include public murals, benches, and ceramics, reflecting her expansive approach to artmaking. Text plays a significant role in all of her creations. She incorporates colloquial speech, slang, and song lyrics, infusing her artworks with humour and a sense of lightheartedness (lyrics from Missy Elliott, Destiny’s Child, and Ja Rule are just a few that have made it into her works).

Following her inaugural exhibition at Queer Circle, Let me Hold You, her recent print edition with Avant Arte was produced in collaboration with the LGBTQ+ led charity. The edition reflects the artist’s ongoing commitment to supporting its mission — creating systems of holistic support for LGBTQ+ people and championing arts and culture.

Michaela Yearwood-Dan: “I really get a kick out of giant oil pastels because I feel like a young and free toddler whilst using them. The pigment in them is often chefs kiss!”

Photos courtesy of Phillips.