Born in Barahona Dominican Republic, Yuri’s number one inspiration is the Taino people and their culture. As a child, his parents instilled the idea of art upon him. It was around this time he won second place in an art contest. He continued to cultivate his skills at the School of Fine Arts and the School of Modern art. During this time, he took lessons from Rolando Mancebo. His goal is to preserve the legacy of the Taino Indians. He works by means of canvas and camba while using acrylic and oil paints.