Meet Yanni Van Zijl

Who are you and what do you create?
I am a multi media artist, I create anything from ephemeral work, large scale site specific installations, ceramic sculptures, photography and most recently film and sound.
 

What materials and techniques do you use?
Depending on the out come, ephemeral work is all natural materials, for large site specific installations I use plastic milk bottles, rubber, ceramics and the latest is coal and film.

What kind of inspirations go into your work?
My work is invariable a comment about environmental issues which are the main motivation and inspiration for my work. 
 

In what space do you like to create most?
I am an outside kind of girl, being connected to landscape is essential, even when doing ceramics you will find me outdoors.
 

What has been your favourite or most important work to date?
Last year I did a performance piece for International World Womens Day, it was a celebration of mother earth, the sacred relationship with her, but also of a mother and daughter. Together with my daughter we collected clay from Lake Weyba, I proceeded to anoint my daughter with the clay. It was deeply emotional to me, and the performance was like a sacred ritual celebration of mother, daughter and mother earth set to etherial music.

Yanni Van Zijl is one of our participating artists in Love Note to the Landscape; a celebration of plein air artwork, created in three iconic Sunshine Coast locations – Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanical Gardens, Coolum’s First Bay and the Mooloolah Wetlands. Find out more about the project here.