Meet Yarina Dai | Jewelry artist, designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yarina Dai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yarina, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
My inspiration comes from my exploration of nature and understanding of life. I have explored many abandoned places and dived to the bottom of the ocean. The robust growth of plants and the hope and life they brought to the empty space are what I want to convey in my work to record the coexistence of humans and nature.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I use jewelry art to document the contemporary and express an understanding of the world around me. I design jewelry that interacts and merges with the body. The human body is like the theater stage, what we add to the body are the actors performing the inner expressions. I was inspired by my experiences such as exploring ruins and scuba diving. I use hard metal to create soft and organic shapes and incorporate them with natural materials, just like the compatibility of machinery versus biological substance, artificial versus natural. I challenge the way of wearing jewelry and take the jewelry and the body as one to explore their possibilities in the future and consider the relationship between human technological development and natural growth.
I am currently exploring ruins, human nature, and self-identity and I plan to continue exploring meaningful directions combining wearable art with relevant technologies.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When I go to a new place, I’d like to visit antique storres to expand my collections. The old objects always interest me and give me inspiration. Walking into nature is important, I would go near the water if that’s possible or have a horse ride on the mountain, or picnic in the park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I came to the US alone in high school, with the support of my family and love from all the people I met in school, I am able to finish my undergrad and further continue my study for a master’s degree. I’d like to thank professor Leonard Urso from my BFA study at Rochester Institute of Technology, he has been a great support in my growth and spirituality as an artist. My friend Haolan Zhou, the photographer who helps me document my works.

Website: www.yarinadai.com

Instagram: yarina.dai

Youtube: Yarina Dai

Image Credits
Photographer: Haolan Zhou