Vancouver-based Colombian self-taught sculptor and potter Mapi Acuña comes from a long lineage of artists. Her life has been full of creative practice including a career in media arts, a major in photography, culinary arts and later in life, a passion developed in clay sculpture work.

What sparked an unexpected career shift was a pivotal moment when she discovered sculpting through modelling chocolate. What began as a playful experiment quickly evolved into a genuine passion for three-dimensional form and figurative expression.

By the end of 2023, Mapi embraced ceramics as her primary medium, finding in clay the permanence, depth, and expressive possibilities she had been seeking. Working under the name Phenomena Sculpture & Ceramics, she creates figurative sculptures that celebrate the beauty, emotion, and complexity of the human form.