Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Young.
Hi Heather, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I’m originally from Savannah, but I moved around a bunch as a kid. At times, art was my only constant. If I moved to a new place and didn’t have friends, I could always pick up a pen and escape to my own imaginary world. By the time I reached high school, I had a pretty clear vision of what I wanted to do with my life. I set my eyes on the Savannah College of Art and Design in the 10th grade. In between my junior and senior years, I was accepted into the Rising Star Program at the college and that little taste of college life sealed the deal. I returned to SCAD full-time in 1999 and graduated with a major in illustration in 2003.
After graduating, I looked for creative ways to get my work in front of people in the editorial illustration world. I knew a postcard would likely land in the recycling bin, so I made these little handmade Southern Girl’s Cookbooks. They featured my grandmothers’ recipes alongside my illustrations and the goal was to make an art director feel bad throwing it in the trash. It worked and landed me a two-year column illustrating for Skirt Magazine.
Building a career in art is rarely an “overnight success.” I spent years slowly increasing my print inventory and stationery lines while working odd jobs around town. When my peers were getting married and having babies, I was nursing my business. I started selling on Etsy in 2008 to reach a broader market with my work. I knew that having a bread and butter line would eventually allow me the freedom to enter into the fine art world. I also have amazing local support from my alma mater. ShopSCAD has stocked my work for over a decade!
After many years of pushing my brand and lots of help from family and friends, I’m a happy, work-at-home mom of two young boys. Print sales provide a steady income and allow me time to show in galleries with my original paintings. It’s been a long road, but well worth the journey. Every single painting that sells, no matter how big or small, I do a happy dance.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, there have been plenty of hurdles. In 2008, the market suffered and art really became a luxury item. That’s when I started using my illustrations on wedding paper goods. No matter how desperate times were, people were still spending money on their weddings. It’s also the year I launched on Etsy. So the obstacle clearly put me on the path to success long-term. I just didn’t see it at the time.
The pandemic really tanked a lot of artists. Original painting sales slowed because we couldn’t have art openings. I was so grateful to have an online presence and affordable prints when people could really only shop online.
Creative marketing and problem solving excite me just as much as creating art. When a problem arises, I ask myself it will really matter in a year, and if not, I try not to sweat it. I like knowing that if I sink or swim, it’s on my shoulders.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work in two styles, pen and ink, and oil wash. Both styles draw inspiration from my coastal southern heritage and love for moss-draped live oak trees. My pen and ink drawings are intricately detailed and nurture the OCD in my DNA. They also allow me to get my creative fix fast.
My oil wash paintings allow me to let loose, decompress, and go with the flow. They take time, and some might sit unfinished in the studio for months. I think people are most fascinated with my process as it’s a non-traditional application of oils. I paint in thin washes that cover the entire surface, then subtract the paint, and repeat until I reach the proper depth of color. The surface texture lends to a very contemporary result, a stark contrast to my more traditional pen and ink renderings.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Savannah is my hometown and having lived all over the states as a kid, there is a pull here that is unlike anywhere else. I think the reason I paint/draw live oak trees so much, is because I lived away from them for so long. It’s the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to, and it’s home, I really can’t think of anything negative to say about it.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.heatherlyoung.com
- Instagram: @fly_young_studio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flyyoungstudio/?ref=bookmarks
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/flyyoungstudio/
