Amy Young

Bio

AMYoung (B. 1991) is a multidisciplinary artist from northern Illinois. Her work focuses on the psychological nature of the subconscious and its role on our conscious experiences. After completing an Associates degree in Psychology and five years of studio focused education at the College of Lake County, AMYoung attended Kansas City Art Institute where she received a BFA in Ceramics. Her work has been exhibited nationally including at Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Montana, Cerbera Gallery in Missouri, and Clay Arts Vegas Art Gallery in Nevada. When not making work AMYoung spends time with her nephews, cats, reading, and hula hooping with fire.

Artist Statement

Young creates art from subconscious inspirations developed over a lifetime of habitual escapism and coping mechanisms.The overall inspiration in the work derives from psychology and a personal mental health journey. Metaphorical symbols play an important role in Young’s work and are used in often unexpected ways. 

Young’s works are an attempt to bring awareness to the struggles of those who, like the artist, live and cope with complex PTSD and are learning to honor their inner children and personal growth accomplishments, while learning to accept the dark parts within. The large figurative works represent the ways in which the internal and external influences oppose each other in subconscious ways. The small pair of figures are representative of how therapy approaches an individual’s path to acceptance and contentment. By opening up these small pockets of trauma to trusted individuals in hopes of confronting them and then attempting to close them at the end of each session. As clients, we are left hoping those demons don’t reach us in the time between.

Exhibitions: