Columba: New Work by Mike S. Young
Show Dates: June 1 - 26, 2016
Artist Reception: June 4, 6pm - 8pm
Artist Reception: June 4, 6pm - 8pm
Artist Bio
As a child growing up in the rough and tumble suburbs of San Francisco, I found solace in drawing dinosaurs. From the floor of my room, I would pore through paleontology-for-kids books and reimagine their various casts of characters on sheets of binder paper, fighting, flying, and sometimes just eating leaves. From this I learned the rudiments of composition and anatomy, and that death was always waiting in the form of a stadium-sized asteroid floating out in space.
After years spent alternately staring at pieces of paper and gazing at the stars, I figured the coast was clear and got my BFA in Illustration from California College of the Arts. Drunk with a sense of freedom and armed with the knowledge that Michael Bay could easily direct a crew of oil drillers to blow up an asteroid, I ventured further afield and received my MFA from the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany.
After years spent alternately staring at pieces of paper and gazing at the stars, I figured the coast was clear and got my BFA in Illustration from California College of the Arts. Drunk with a sense of freedom and armed with the knowledge that Michael Bay could easily direct a crew of oil drillers to blow up an asteroid, I ventured further afield and received my MFA from the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany.
Artist Statement
My work is inspired by everything from the fantastical to the mundane. Every day life is full of varied experiences and I use these to explore themes around culture, politics, and mortality.
I believe in making art that can be both accessible and challenging for the audience. The work I create can be taken in superficially as detailed and well-crafted objects, while their subject matter can address more serious concepts for those willing to look deeper.
Coming from a background in illustration, I trust in narrative and its ability to connect the viewer to a piece and to relay ideas that would otherwise be missed. While each viewer can come to his or her own impression of a piece, utilizing elements of a story helps to make a connection and draw an audience in.
The form of my work might not always be the same, but the themes I explore are the common thread that connects them.
Website: mikesyoung.com
I believe in making art that can be both accessible and challenging for the audience. The work I create can be taken in superficially as detailed and well-crafted objects, while their subject matter can address more serious concepts for those willing to look deeper.
Coming from a background in illustration, I trust in narrative and its ability to connect the viewer to a piece and to relay ideas that would otherwise be missed. While each viewer can come to his or her own impression of a piece, utilizing elements of a story helps to make a connection and draw an audience in.
The form of my work might not always be the same, but the themes I explore are the common thread that connects them.
Website: mikesyoung.com