Please welcome the third artist in the featured artist series! Heather L. Young is a Savannah native, and a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Heather has made a career as an illustrator and muralist in the low country. Her art is extremely versatile, making use of acrylic and oil washes, pen and ink, and watercolor to execute beautiful paintings and drawings. She describes herself as mildly obsessed with rhinestones and anything that flies. Her inspiration comes from her quirky family, Vayda-dog, an eclectic group of Southern women, and food.
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| "The Savannah Yacht Club," acrylic and oil wash on illustration board, 2009 |
Given that much of your work is place-based in Savannah and Southeast Georgia, what inspires you artistically about your home?
I was born in Savannah and spent the first 8 years of my life growing up here. The rest of my youth was spent moving all around the country, an experience I’m very grateful for, as it taught me to always have an appreciation for home.
I’m inspired by Live Oaks because they have deep roots, just like my family in Savannah. They symbolize stability and strength, and each is unique in its own way. If you detect a sense of place in my work, it’s usually because I have a strong personal or family connection to the site. I’m constantly working to document the ever changing landscapes of our area, something I hope my future children will appreciate one day.
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| "Gordonston Oak Tree," pen and ink, 2010 |
I had a professor at SCAD who taught me how to mix Acrylics and Oils. It fascinated me to “break the rules” so to speak, but I mostly enjoyed the subtractive manor in which paint is taken away from the surface rather than added to it. It’s a very forgiving technique in that if you erase too much, you can always add another layer and start over. There’s no erasing when it comes to Pen and Ink, so it’s a nice balance to my other favorite medium.
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| "Eat Your Greens Series," acrylic and oIl wash prints, 2008 |
Where do you daydream about traveling to paint or gather inspiration for paintings (and to enjoy)?
Oh there are so many places, but Italy is at the top of my list. I’m enchanted by the people, the landscape, the rich art history there, and of course wine!
I would also love to spend some time in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. I don’t think I’ll grow tired of drawing trees anytime soon and they certainly have a plethora to choose from in those parts.
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| "Welcome to Blackbeard," pen and ink with watercolor washes, 2010 |
Heather, thanks so very much for sharing your work! I'll be keeping up with your work at the FLYoung Studio Blog.
What do you think of Heather's work?
Oh you are such a gem! Thanks for the blog love :)
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