Creative Junk Therapy is proud to present Michele young as our Artist Spotlight! Michele works primarily in Color Pencil and Pastels. 

Here is her creative story.

​

"I have enjoyed drawing since childhood and was influenced by many artistic family members. I did well in high school art classes and wanted to be an art major in college. When my professor said that my style was too realistic and I would starve as an artist, I changed my major to special education. In hindsight, it was good advice as I had a rewarding career teaching students with multiple disabilities for 30 years. In May 2016, I began drawing again when my husband gifted me with art lessons from the talented artist and coach, Bob Carter. Things have progressed since then, and my work has been shown in a variety of art exhibitions and venues throughout Tampa, Florida.

I enjoy creating detailed photo-realistic paintings. I choose a variety of themes that are relatable, and I draw the images in a way that resemble their appearance as closely as possible. Colored pencils are my favorite medium, but they are physically taxing and time consuming. I also use soft pastel sticks, pastel pencils, oil pastels, and markers to speed up the drawing process and reduce the physical strain. I enjoy the challenge of finding new combinations of materials and learning new techniques.

I teach colored pencil and pastel classes at Creative Junk Therapy and Center Place Fine Arts and Civics Association in Brandon.  Information about my classes can be found here.  My work is for sale on my website and at Creative Junk Therapy.  

I hope my art inspires curiosity about the creative process and an appreciation for colored pencils and pastels."

​​

Michele's work will be on display in the CJT Creative Collaborative gallery throughout the month of September. 

For more information about her classes and creations, visit her website at  www.micheleyoungart.com or on Instagram at MicheleYoungArt