Artwork by James M. Young
James Young is an artist, professional product designer, and musician who lives in Massachusetts.
He is a graduate of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design in Washington, D.C.
Artist’s Statement
I have been creating images for as long as I can remember. I have always loved to draw and it has been my constant companion. My work is primarily representational with a strong focus on craftsmanship and the physicality of the medium in use. Many years of experience in professional digital design have provided a valuable contrast that further supports my love and respect for the process and presence of painting.
Whether it is more observational portraiture, or imaginary scenes and subjects, I enjoy creating an open narrative that engages viewers – providing just enough detail to allow them to fill in the blanks. I believe that art serves as a personal outlet for a kind of open-ended storytelling.
There is often a strong autobiographical undertone in my work, yet I truly enjoy the ambiguity of infusing my work with the characteristics of personas gleaned from observing the outside world in my often cynical way.
I continue to experiment with a mixture of small and large format works, but consistent among all is the attempt to create a rich deep texture in my paintings. I tend to build up many layers of paint and include various details, drawings, and writings that will often be obscured in the finished piece. I feel that these lost or “hidden” artifacts contribute to the overall sense of energy that a work has when closely inspected.
Inspiration & Influences
Here’s a select list of artists that have had an impact, at least on a conscious level. It’s hard to keep a list like this short, but here are a few that stand out in my mind / on my bookshelf.
- Francis Bacon
- Balthus
- Gary Baseman
- Kendall Buster
- Caravaggio
- Honoré Daumier
- Shepard Fairey
- Lucian Freud
- H.R. Giger
- Leon Golub
- Tom Green
- Philip Guston
- Keith Haring
- Frida Kahlo
- Käthe Kollwitz
- Berthe Morisot
- Claude Monet
- Odd Nerdrum
- William Newman
- Martin Puryear
- Albert Pinkham Ryder
- Duke Riley
- William Willis
- Donald Roller Wilson
- Andrew Wyeth