Photogrph by Jeremy Kramer
What do sharks, dragons, and mountains have in common? They’ve all come to life under the hands of Evan Yeung, a pediatrician with an unexpected knack for sculpting. In his hands, raw materials like foam, cardboard, and chicken wire are transformed into larger-than-life creations that bring childhood imaginations to life—one sculpted piece at a time.
Yeung’s artistic journey started at the University of Michigan Natural History Museum, where he worked as a tour guide and planetarium operator, surrounded by lifelike exhibits. After participating in a Museum Methods class that taught him how to mold plaster and latex into realistic creatures, he became fascinated by the process of sculpture-making.
After crafting recreationally for a time, he sought to put his skills to work helping his wife create decorations for the Vacation Bible School at Hyde Park United Methodist Church. “My wife’s goal was to transform the church into a place that captivates children and sparks their imagination,” Yeung says. “Making some of these creations allows me to exercise my own creative side, and the resources of the church give me more in terms of supplies and volunteers.”
Photograph by Jeremy Kramer
The experience elevated his craft exponentially. Each year, the church’s Vacation Bible School operates under a different theme, and Yeung dives in headfirst to challenge himself to create a lifelike sculpture that fits it. The result often leaves students speechless.
Take, for example, his life-sized sculpture of a great white shark. Yeung was extremely diligent in preparing for the creation of this finned giant, studying the biology of the creature to ensure he mastered every detail. “I stared at pictures for hours studying great white sharks’ anatomy and coloration patterns,” he says. To start, he and volunteers took large foam blocks and roughed out the shape with chainsaws, then carved and sanded it smooth, covered the 17-foot figure in a foam coat, and painted it to look as realistic as possible.
A testament to the scale and quality of his work, Yeung’s sculptures have since found homes all across Greater Cincinnati. The masterpiece great white shark was given to Jungle Jim’s in Eastgate for display, a nine-foot-tall stylized lion mask was donated to the Cincinnati Zoo, and a colossal silver dragon resides at Evendale game store Yottaquest.
Photograph courtesy Evan Yeung
From brainstorming centerpieces or meticulously sketching out his ideas, Yeung makes sure that these sculptures are fit for a truly immersive experience, never forgetting the driving force behind his passion: creating unforgettable works of art straight out of your imagination.
“The most rewarding part has been watching kids’ eyes light up when they see our creations,” he says. “They make memories, and that is very flattering.” For Yeung, this is what it’s all about.
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