“Hummingbirds”
Artist Sandra Yagi has always loved science, developing a unique interest in anatomy and the human skeleton. But rather than turning it into a dark source of inspiration, Yagi has found it a vehicle for whimsy and fantasy. Her show titled The Faerie Realm at San Francisco’s Modern Eden Gallery compiles her playful paintings starring a skeleton who engages in nature with a wide array of colorful creatures.
For Yagi, a human skeleton is a powerful symbol due to its association with mortality. She has long appreciated how the subtle shapes and lines of skeletal anatomy, as well as certain positions, can effectively convey emotions. Drawing from this, Yagi has turned this concept on its head by adding a seemingly simple feature. “A skeleton with butterfly wings is a powerful symbol, combining mortality with rebirth,” the artist tells My Modern Met. “It’s intended to symbolize the continuing cycle of life.”
The concept behind The Faerie Realm began with an experience shared by many–the hope for a happy ending promised by the stories and movies of our youth. “Many of us had childhood visions of fairy tale worlds, informed by watching Disney movies and reading fairy tales,” the artist says. “But ultimately, a child will realize that the real world has unhappy events, imperfections, and evil characters. That is, there is no ‘everyone lived happily ever after.’ There is mortality, the final part of the cycle of birth, life, death, and then rebirth from the ashes. I wanted to portray visions of a fantasy faerie world with mortality overlaid into the vision, in the form of skeletal faeries interacting with nature.”
The artist’s creative process begins by simply looking at images that inspire her—from fairy tale illustrations to works of artists she admires to photos of unusual animals. “Ideas just emerge when I least expect it, and I’ll often jot it down,” Yagi shares. To ensure the skeleton in her paintings is accurate, she takes photos of a cast human skeleton, using an image generated on a posing software as reference. “This helps with shading, and ensures the skeleton is true to the real thing,” Yaggi adds. “Finally, for larger involved paintings, I draw and fill in all the elements into a composition using digital painting software (Procreate). I project the image to a panel, and then the oil painting begins.”
Yagi’s contemplative compositions go hand in hand with the nature of her chosen medium. “Firstly, [oil painting] takes a while to dry, so it gives me more time to work,” the artist shares. “With watercolor and gouache, I often feel rushed because of how fast the media dries. Oil painting is ideal for more detailed compositions with numerous elements. I also just enjoy how it looks when you lay it out on a palette and onto the painting surface.”
Ultimately, for all the cheerfulness of her works, the artist hopes her paintings prompt viewers to realize how amazing it is to be alive and to enjoy the beauty that nature surrounds us with. Yagi concludes, “Our time here is limited, so one should make the most of it.”
You can see The Faerie Realm at Modern Eden Gallery through May 3, 2025. To stay up to date with the artist’s work, follow Sandra Yagi on Instagram.
In the playful oil paintings of Sandra Yagi, a skeleton with butterfly wings sends a message about rebirth.
“Leaf Rowboat”
Prompted by a lifelong interest in anatomy, Yagi takes the concept of the human skeleton in art and turns it in its head.
“Fireflies”
“A skeleton with butterfly wings is a powerful symbol, combining mortality with rebirth,” the artist tells My Modern Met. “It’s intended to symbolize the continuing cycle of life.”
“Poison Dart Frogs”
The artist’s creative process begins by simply looking at images that inspire her—from fairy tale illustrations to works of artists she admires to photos of unusual animals.
“Mushroom Dance”
To ensure the skeleton in her paintings is accurate, she takes photos of a cast human skeleton, using an image generated on a posing software as reference.
“Cat Attack 1”
The artist hopes her paintings prompt viewers to realize how amazing it is to be alive and to enjoy the beauty that nature surrounds us with.
“Cat Attack 2”
“Our time here is limited, so one should make the most of it.”
“Sea Dragon”
You can see Yagi’s work at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco through May 3, 2025.
“Beetle Rider”