Amber Jean Young

Artist Biography

 
My work explores how to cultivate resilience after the loss of a loved one. While navigating grief I found myself faithful to my conviction that the only way out is through. Determined to survive the grieving process, I was influenced by textiles ingrained with personal history, the Pattern and Decoration movement of the 1970’s – 1980s, and a large collection of houseplants. Developing a visual language across mediums of bright, saturated colors and patterns coupled with florals, plant life, and the occasional critter, the work is doggedly optimistic. These compositional choices encourage the notion that whimsy is an antidote to despair and that creating moments of levity make us more durable when grief pangs are especially sharp.

I was unexpectedly drawn to ceramics by the experience of purchasing an urn for my deceased mother. Urn shopping was a predictably miserable exercise but one that inspired the creation of vibrant, life-affirming sculptural urns and vessels in response. The work imagines a resting place that is not a monument to death, but rather a reflection of the vibrancy of life. Creating work imbued with hope, even in the face of loss, encourages resilience and helps to chart a path through the grieving process.

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