Learning he could succeed key for Brighton sculptor

Careers

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Yanney Channal was tired of being told he couldn’t do it.

But now the self-taught artist and sculptor from Brighton is placing three of his sculptures around the metro area, claiming the top spot in all three juried competitions.

“At the time, I didn’t have the confidence to continue, I let people tell me I couldn’t do it. I allowed them to persuade and dictate my actions. I didn’t believe in myself I could do it,” Channal said.

A first-generation American and son of a Cambodian immigrant mother, Channal grew up in Los Angeles. He moved east to Philadelphia at 26, starting a new life. That’s where he discovered that he could, indeed, do it.

“It was my introduction to a lot of things when I moved to Philadelphia, my first job and my only job was at the Philadelphia Zoo. I was hired as an equipment operator, I also have carpentry a construction background too,” Channal said.

A year after starting in a maintenance mechanic position at the zoo, his supervisor asked him if he was interested in metalworking and welding.

“I have never done that or had no experience with welding (but) I jumped on it,” he said. “It was something different and learning techniques on my own and becoming better over time. I became good enough to fabricate things for the facility. I welded fences, gates, and things like that.”

He saved little pieces and metal scraps from each job, storing them in a bucket that was soon full.

“I was going to throw them away, but I thought I should make something out of these scraps,” he said.

“So I started welding the smaller scraps together creating cool little sculptures.” tor at the zoo recognized that his was unique and good. and encouraged him to keep honing his skills.

Channal also took on a part-time job at the Philadelphia Butterfly Pavilion, building bug metal frames for the students.

“The students would dress up the frames with recycled material. They also offered free space for me to work at the butterfly museum. The first thing I made was a bug,” Channal said.

Channal said he was getting inspired and started welding a sculpture on his own time, something bigger than hand-sized. That’s when people began downplaying his ambitions, so from 2015 to 2017, his personal project sat in his garage gathering dust.

But something changed in 2017. Channal was a good fabricator and metal worker for the zoo, so he started his personal project again and finished it – a metal stork.

“I spoke to the people at the zoo about my stork sculpture, showed them and I sold it to the zoo permanently. They also had a global conservation gala at the zoo, they displayed it there. People were telling me that I should continue my art of sculpture,” Channal said.

“So from that day on – it was

September 28, 2017 – I decided I’m going to become an artist,” Channal said.

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From big city to Brighton

Channal stayed in Philadelphia for 11 years, moving his family to Brighton in July 2020 – right at the height of COVID. It was a di cult time for many, but his wife had family in Colorado and wanted to move to the state. And he was impressed with the state’s reputation.

“Colorado is ranked highest in the United States for art opportunities. We pulled the trigger and moved out here to Colorado,” Channal said.

ey visited Denver and then came north to Brighton.

“I thought this is di erent,” he said. “I lived in major cities such as Los Angeles and Philadelphia my whole life. Coming here, it’s not a city. But my wife also liked Brighton too.”

Channal started to get involved with the art scene in Colorado and then joined CaFE, a website that helps artists nd clients and sell their work. After numerous applications, he received opportunities to install three temporary public art metal sculptures in Northglenn, Lafayette and Aurora.

“ ey were all juried competitions and I received rst place in all three,” Channal said.