Kristen Young
I am a self-taught Canadian wildlife artist based in Calgary, AB. I have no credentials: (no art school or professional classes). I am super unqualified to be an artist in any capacity. Here’s a bit about how I got here:
It wasn’t until I became gravely ill with postpartum depression after the birth of my third child that I found myself trying water color painting as a form of therapy. I began painting because I HAD to, and: It worked. Without trying to make anything particularly wonderful I was free to create and all of a sudden I was SET free… Painting was the only time that my brain would rest, therefore art became an essential part of healing my brain. You could argue that art saved my life-- I was truly very ill. If I hadn’t needed art to save my brain I don’t know if I ever would have discovered the talent l have been given!
As I explored different mediums, I moved into acrylic landscape painting and oil Impressionism and I landed in the world of soft pastels and acrylic wildlife painting. I was mesmerized with the depth of color I could create in blending pastel pencil colors together. I had painted many animals in water color, but as I attempted animals in pastel there was a moment where I sat back in my chair and found myself staring into the eye of a creature that seemed to have come to life on my paper! I was hooked. Creating lifelike animals has been my focus ever since!
I live in Calgary Alberta, Canada where I was born and raised with my husband of over 16 years and our 3 adorable kiddos. I am a wife and a mom first and I have cherished the privilege of getting to stay home raising my kids while I now pursue my full time artist career. I love getting outside, and summer days at the beach. I love late night fires with neighbors and games nights with friends.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I am passionate about painting wild animals and communicating something words cannot express through my work. I aim to create art that draws you in, holds your attention and speaks to your soul.
I am a self-taught Canadian wildlife artist based in Calgary, AB. I have no credentials: (no art school or professional classes). I am super unqualified to be an artist in any capacity. Here’s a bit about how I got here:
It wasn’t until I became gravely ill with postpartum depression after the birth of my third child that I found myself trying water color painting as a form of therapy. I began painting because I HAD to, and: It worked. Without trying to make anything particularly wonderful I was free to create and all of a sudden I was SET free… Painting was the only time that my brain would rest, therefore art became an essential part of healing my brain. You could argue that art saved my life-- I was truly very ill. If I hadn’t needed art to save my brain I don’t know if I ever would have discovered the talent l have been given!
As I explored different mediums, I moved into acrylic landscape painting and oil Impressionism and I landed in the world of soft pastels and acrylic wildlife painting. I was mesmerized with the depth of color I could create in blending pastel pencil colors together. I had painted many animals in water color, but as I attempted animals in pastel there was a moment where I sat back in my chair and found myself staring into the eye of a creature that seemed to have come to life on my paper! I was hooked. Creating lifelike animals has been my focus ever since!
I live in Calgary Alberta, Canada where I was born and raised with my husband of over 16 years and our 3 adorable kiddos. I am a wife and a mom first and I have cherished the privilege of getting to stay home raising my kids while I now pursue my full time artist career. I love getting outside, and summer days at the beach. I love late night fires with neighbors and games nights with friends.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I am passionate about painting wild animals and communicating something words cannot express through my work. I aim to create art that draws you in, holds your attention and speaks to your soul.
$1,100.00
Acrylic on cradled wood panel.
24x24x2"
24” x 24” Acrylic on Cradled Wood Panel
Original
Contemplative, playful and inviting. He’s everything you ever wanted in a wall companion.
$2,640.00
Acrylic on board (framed).
36x36x2"
36”x36” acrylic on birchwood panel and professionally framed in maple-stained birchwood custom-made floating frame.
She is a Kamchatka brown bear, currently residing in Brno Zoo in Czechia. These bears are found exclusively in the Kamchatka region of Russia, and are bigger than the Canadian Grizzly.
Her reference photo was taken by Angelika Tomečková and used with permission.
$1,100.00
Acrylic on board (framed).
24x24x2"
Snow Bear
24” x 24”
Acrylic on cradled wood board, wired, framed and ready to hang.
This painting has been in the works for the past few months, and been on my mind for the past couple years. I’ve actually attempted painting this bear 3 times now, and I’m FINALLY happy with the result.
I LOVED painting the falling snow. That was something new for me- to be able to paint depth into the falling snow with some flakes out of focus. His fur, as with every bear I’ve painted, was the most challenging- even after painting him twice before. I’ve been working hard on figuring out my layering process with glazes and so many different kinds of layers. I learned so much and figured out a lot of strategy and colour-mixes that create the depth of fur I’m looking for. I hope you like him!
$675.00
Acrylic on board (framed).
20x16x2"
On the Lookout”
16”x20”
Acrylic on board, framed with a simple black floating frame.
A Momma bear and her 3 cubs ‘On the Lookout’ in a field of wildflowers in the Canadian Rockies.
Reference photo used with permission and endorsement
$675.00
Acrylic on canvas (framed).
16x20x2"
Original acrylic painting on canvas.
16x20” framed in a custom-made floating Birchwood frame, stained black.
Wired and ready to hang.
Reference photo thanks to Jayden Daniels 🙏🏻
$350.00
Acrylic on canvas.
12x12x2"
‘Butch’ aka “The Butcher”
12x12”
Acrylic on canvas
Isnt he stunning?? When I came across his photo I was mesmerized and gob-smacked all at once. His stare is a little unnerving, not unlike a serial killer or a mob boss in human terms. I just love everything about him. He’s the kind of rooster you really don’t wanna mess with, hence the name I gave him🙃
Edges painted in black and white stripes.
$275.00
Acrylic on canvas.
12x12x2"
Do roosters have feelings?
I’d like to think they do. This rooster has a particularly grumpy expression, but he also was made to look this way. Which got me thinking that if roosters do in fact have feelings, maybe this particular rooster is actually feeling really happy in this portrait… and the mystery of the depth of rooster personalities continues.
Look at this handsome rooster with his vibrant orange tones and his wild hair-do. He can’t help it! Next time you think you’re having a bad hair day you only have him to look to, to feel much better about yourself 😂
The background is chromatic blacks (my favourite) with quinacridone orange accents coming through. (For anyone who hasn’t herd of that version of orange, it’s this bright rust colour that is both vibrant and subtle. It’s amazing to work with!)
the final detail is the black and white stripes around the edges that I’m doing palm every rooster painting in this collection. This detail really brought the painting together, and I absolutely love it!
Original acrylic on canvas 12x12” signed, varnished and wired ready to hang.
$395.00
Acrylic on canvas.
14x14x2"
Sir Clucks
14x14”
Acrylic on canvas
I just made this. It is the beginning of a new series I am doing on farm birds. And I couldn’t be MORE excited about it. I am in love with it.
Some people have albums on their phones of their family, cool places they’ve visited… you know? Well, I have a whole album dedicated to roosters. That’s how much I love them
$2,450.00
Acrylic on birch panel (framed).
40x30x2"
Pursuit
30x40” acrylic on cradled birchwood panel and framed in a minimalist custom-made floating frame.
I’m so elated to share with you my completed painting. She is the first of many in this new collection I am creating called “Into the Wild.”
When I first saw the photo this first painting is based on, I was immediately enchanted. It communicates something I can’t put into words. If you were in the wild and captured this photo, her face might very well be the last thing you saw….
She’s the hunter and provider. The queen. Fierce and slightly unassuming. Deadly and beautiful.
Thank you to Anette Mossbacher for her stellar reference!!
$2,640.00
Acrylic on board (framed).
36x36x2"
Steadfast
Original 36”x36” acrylic on board, with a custom modern floating frame. Wired, and ready to hang.
Coming up with a name for this painting was really challenging. I wanted the name to portray the mood and the feeling he emanates as he sits regally on his wild throne. He is the King, but that’s all too obvious. As I sat with him month after month in my studio, painstakingly and slowly painting each hair, it became this unspoken feeling I had looking into his eyes.
The best way I can articulate with the word Steadfast. The name Kostas means steadfast and constant, and that’s how I feel about this King I’ve been spending so much time with. He is like an anchor in his wild kingdom: ruler of all. And as he looks over his vast territory and surveys all of his kingdom from this big rock and the creatures he rules over he has this proud vibe.
$1,250.00
Acrylic on canvas (framed).
24x24x2"
Bear Cub’s Brother
24x24” Acrylic on canvas,
framed in a black floating frame made custom by (who else?) @rusticburlco.
Yes, I have painted this face before, but this painting is entirely different from the last Black Bear Cub I painted. I added in a lot of the green forest tones in the background this time around, which I feel really draws your attention to that dangling leaf in his mouth. The glazing process was different this time, even the colour pallet was slightly different. Painting it felt like painting something I have never painted before- I think because we’re always changing and growing as we go, so even the “same” painting can’t be the same painted twice.
reference credit due to Cooper Ferko @coop814_photography (used with permission), Thank you!!