not like those girls in the magazines..

most beautiful

"She was beautiful, but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful for the way she thought. She was beautiful for that sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful for her ability to make other people smile even when she was sad. No, she wasn't beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul."
~F. Scott Fitzgerald

painted trail

emerson was quoted as saying, "do not follow where a path may led, go instead, 

where there is no path and leave a trail."

where there is no path

artist note: i have to say, i am totally in love with this piece!!!

(i know, i know, i say that about all the work i do,

 but this is really affecting me deeply and to my very core!)

i love how it provides this 'space' to get lost in. i need space like this. i need miles and miles of endless sky and earth to wander; earth filled with tall grasses!  spaces like this give me

the time i need to: catch my breath, clear my thinking, 

process hurts, 

put things into perspective, 

get a foot-hold 

on gratitude and 

bury any regrets...

these days i am challenged to physically do any kind of wandering and especially in an open field with a compass pointing LOST.  but, i can (and do!) with my minds-eye. 

i wander so i can: refocus, reframe, reflect, rejuvenate,  

reassemble my broken heart or renew my trampled spirit.

so...i am leaving you with my painted trail. a trail offering hope, suggests that the 'best is yet to be'; a trail that may lead you closer to finding peace of mind or the realization of your dreams. or it might inspire you to go get lost and blaze your trail!

 either way, trust yourself to make the decision that is best for you!

your soul is alive!

Soul Progress

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy,
if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you,
if the simply things of nature have a message that you understand,
rejoice, for your soul is alive!" ~Eleanor Duse

stronger and more resilient

Refusing to surrender (glory-of-the-snow)

 "Life doesn't get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient." ~Steve Maraboli


artist note: I love living in MN.  I actually enjoy all the seasons...even winter. The snow doesn't bother me and it doesn't seem to get in the way of this bloom either.  The Glory-of-the-Snow spreads quickly, fills large areas with colorful blue, white or pink blossoms and regardless of drifting snow! Beautifully resilient!

build me up

buttercup ball

"so build me up (build me up) buttercup, don't break my heart..."
~lyrics Build Me Up Buttercup (the foundations)

artist note: i love daffodils and this piece if filled with daffodils swaying in the wind

without a care in the world...

how good things really are

many faces of joy

"JOY; it happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are." 

~Marianne Williamson

about the artist

when words escape me, 

i paint!
_________________

i primarily consider myself an artistic topographist. this is because i paint most often with my fingers.
i feel more confident that i can produce the most accurate translation of what is in my head or on my heart, onto a surface for others to see.

after my eye sight began to diminish, i felt i 'had to' use my fingers to create tactile impressions of my visual recollections using paint and canvas. 
i found i was able to tap into an enhanced sensorial awareness, both auditory and cutaneous, that assisted my recall of life experiences and emotional memories through strikingly vivid, bold imagery.

in my studio, i gravitate towards a strong color palette, choosing from tubes and cans of pigment labelled in braille,

employing a variety of impasto painting techniques, my fingertips are guided by my mind’s eye.

i continually challenge the boundaries of my abilities, exploring the rules of composition, color and contour. i must say, i really enjoy experimenting with artistic methods and mediums, especially those inherently requiring less control and thereby offering greater fluidity.

for each canvas, it typically takes weeks, and usually months, to build up the painted surface layer by layer. my visual collection reflects the relationship between my senses and my memories, offering viewers a glimpse of the power and joy unleashed by a can-do spirit.

i adopted this quote, credited to audrey hepburn, as my personal motto:
" the words, I'm possible, are found in the word impossible!".

daily, you'll find me in my studio, continuing to believe that i can
  bring to fruition that which rest on the soul. and i do so, with great joy!

i invite you to check out my exhibit schedule ...stop in, enjoy my work in real space.
and, please, let me know if you see what i feel.

annie young  / creative topographist  /  inspirational speaker

1744 riverwood drive  /  burnsville mn 55337

c  /  612.743.9256  e  /  annie@annieyoungarts.com