Ilana Yahav was surprised when Devon Energy agreed to fly someone to Tel Aviv, Israel, to meet about a series of television commercials the company wanted her to help create. The talented sand artist gets many requests for services, but she has found that most companies lose interest at the prospect of traveling to the Holy Land.
Devon was undeterred, and Yahav became curious. She had worked with corporations before, including oil companies, American companies and businesses from around the world. Some of her experiences have been good, but others have not gone as well. She has learned to scrutinize her clients ahead of time, so she went to the Web to investigate the energy producer from Oklahoma.
To her delight, she found an innovative company that supports the arts, values education and reaches out to communities. At that moment, Yahav knew she and Devon would be a good fit.
“It is true that Devon is a gas company,” Yahav said. “But it is more than that. This is a company of human beings.”
Over the past six years, the lifelong artist has focused her energy on sand art, a unique art form she uses to stir emotions and to encourage hope and compassion.
With grace and speed, her hands push, toss, sprinkle and manipulate sand into thoughtful, heart-rending illustrations. She brings her art to life with music, light and choreography.
Yahav is a performer whose talent and humility have inspired kings, heads of state and leaders of industry around the world. She uses her art to promote peace, love and friendship. Some of her work reflects the emotional adversities inherent with life in the Middle East.
“In this kind of art,” Yahav says, “you have to use what God has blessed you with: Sand, hands and soul.”
A few months after Devon aired its first sand art television commercials, Yahav reciprocated Devon’s trip to Israel with her own trip to Oklahoma City, where she met with employees and performed at the company’s 40th anniversary celebration. It was her first visit to Oklahoma, and it included her first opportunity to attend an NBA basketball game.
However, that trip included another first that was even more special. She had an opportunity to perform for hundreds of students at a public school in Oklahoma City. No other company had ever asked her to do that before.
Her time with the students, Devon’s leadership and its employees affirmed what she had concluded months before.
“I feel a special bond with this company. It seems very familiar to me.”