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Yang Li

West Valley College

As an emerging artist, I am developing my artistic voice mainly through sculpture, with a focus on mixed-media work. Since beginning my art studies at West Valley College, I have explored how materials, form, and craftsmanship can communicate ideas that connect personal experience with broader cultural perspectives. At the 2026 West Valley College ART+DESIGN expo, my sculpture installation of 100 horses casted in Hydrostone garnered widespread praise and attention from visitors. The installation forms a large bas-relief of a majestic leaping horse displayed at the Cilker School of Art & Design. I’ve also created a powerful assemblage artwork using dried seaweeds. It evokes an abstract figure breaking through boundaries, reflecting both the untamed power of nature and the human desire for freedom. Beyond creating my own artwork, I actively contribute to the local arts community, helping out at the Student Art Show, the Annual Holiday Sale, and the California Sculpture Symposium as work-study.

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Breaking free

Category: Interior

Competitions: Home Competition 2026

Breaking Free is a sculptural assemblage created from Driftwood vines, transforming a natural material into an expressive exploration of resilience and liberation. Standing 19 inches tall and 10 inches wide atop a slanted rock, this work evokes an abstract figure emerging from confinement, capturing the tension between restraint and release. Both wild and carefully composed, the organic forms retain the untamed energy of the sea while revealing the artist's deliberate hand. By elevating a fragile, often overlooked material into a dynamic sculptural presence, the piece reflects the enduring power of nature and the universal human desire to overcome limitations, embrace change, and pursue freedom.

In association with Arts Thread

Working with our partners at Arts Thread to develop lifelong learning and career opportunities for students of fashion and design. Our partnership provides the opportunity to compete on a world stage, participate in industry led workshops, set up an outstanding portfolio and gain access to the resources that will kickstart careers in fashion and design.