“To create a visual interpretation of an emotion, an abstract idea or movement, to reach its essence; the image is stripped of realism and of any superfluous detail. Shapes are simplified and clearly defined. Most of my abstracts have a human element, and most of my people and emotions are handled in abstract form. I choose stones for their magnificent colors, and they frequently dictate what the image will be.”

— Varda Yoran

Varda Yoran is a Brooklyn based sculptor. She was born and raised in China to Jewish parents who emigrated from Russia. Yoran was educated in English at the Jewish School in Tientsin, where she demonstrated an affinity for artmaking, and was exposed to various cultures and languages from a young age. She moved to Israel in 1949, where she spent the next 27 years, working in various positions such as staff member for the Jerusalem Post, teacher of Hebrew in an immigrants’ camp, and graphic designer for a prestigious art studio, among others.

Yoran and her family relocated first to London for a brief 2-year period, and then eventually to New York. She attended several seminars in Art Therapy at the New School for Social Research and was also a student at the Art Students League. In 1979, she started formally studying sculpture with Aline Geist in Long Island. During this period, her art practice gradually transitioned from painting towards sculpture, which has been the primary focus of her artistic production ever since.

Her work as an artist is permeated by the different cultures she has been exposed to throughout her life: Chinese, Russian, English, Jewish, Japanese. Furthermore, her art can be considered as an exploration of the convergence between these different cultures, as well as the impact they’ve had on the artist’s life. She works with various media, such as stone, wood, clay, bronze, and Lucite; as well as in a range of sizes, as exemplified by her large outdoor sculptures, which reach up to 15 ft. in height.

Varda’s work as an artist has been featured in numerous group exhibitions. She also had individual exhibitions in the United States and Israel. In 1996, she was honored with the Eleanor Roosevelt Award, presented by the American Jewish Congress Commission for Women’s Equality. She has been interviewed by multiple media outlets, including Shirley Romaine’s TV segment titled, “Artschene” on Long Island. Varda was also awarded with an Honorary Fellowship by Tel-Aviv University in 2016.