Fan Yu was born in Beijing, China in a family of architecture professions, his parents devoted most their lives to Chinese classical architecture. Being raised at this Imperial City and exposed to its rich culture, Fan has shown his artist talent at a young age.
Perhaps it’s inborn in his genes inherited from his parents, it’s innate for Fan to grasp the sculpture art though he never systematically studied sculpture before, which also shown in his numerous achievements and profound knowledge of handling and grooming show dogs.
With more than 20 years of experience, Fan becomes a very important figure representing China in the world of dog sports, he has successfully showing dogs in the United States as well as participating in grooming competitions and performing grooming seminars around the world.
His passion of sculptures rooted in his boundless obsession of animals, especially dogs. When he was a child, Fan often went to the zoo accompanied his father to draw sketches, he could do this all day and never get bored. Every time he saw books about animals, he would buy them and studied hard
In 2009, Fan created his first sculpture of the great Kerry Blue Terrier - Ch. Torums Scarf Michael, aka “Mick” . As a magnificent animal and stunning breed individual, Mick was awarded Best in Show at Crufts in England in 2000, while in the United States, he was a successful show dog won the square and crowned with Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club in 2003, shown by professional handler Bill McFadden. Fan traveled to the United States and presented his sculpture of Mick to Mr. McFadden, who was impressed by this sculpture and Fan’s talents. For a number of years, Fan was actively showing dogs in conformation events as a professional handler, meanwhile a master groomer in grooming competitions and seminars.
In 2017, Fan gradually withdrew from showing dogs as a professional handler and moved more deeply into his passion of sculpture.
From 2009, Fan received massive enquiries about custom animal sculptures from owners, breeders and even Kennel Clubs in the worldwide. He has been commissioned by multiple national breed clubs such as the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, the prestigious Santa Barbara Kennel Club, and the AKC Museum of the Dog.
Fan hopes to reflect the great love for dogs in his sculptures. Every heavy and cold bronze sculpture should be able to fill the heart of every audience and collector with the power of warmth, love, and light from Fan's sincere and moving creations.
Not only Fan is praised as the best canine sculptor in our time by many important figures in the dog world, his art works has exhibited and earned honors from the ARC Salon, American Artists Professional League, Society of Animal Artists, Royal Society of British Artists, and Allied Artists Annual Exhibition. In June 2023, National Sculpture Society honored Fan with the Marilyn Newmark Memorial Grant for his demonstrated commitment to animal sculpture and the outstanding ability in his body of work.
Fan reside in Claremont California with his wife, Amy, where he pursues his passion for creating spirited animal sculptures.