James Young Artist

The paintings I make speak of light and structure, and solitude, but not loneliness. And, although my subject involves conservation, I avoid the nostalgia often associated with agricultural imagery.

My allegiance to barns began in childhood, and my deep appreciation for them was furthered later, when I worked as a day laborer. The barns I seek are majestic and have persevered against great odds to live to a venerable age. Concern for my aging muse increases with each year, and I wonder at what point my audience will fail to recognize my offering.

Ambiguity may define my work. An absense of the entire story fits well with the subject matter, and with my personality. the untold part remains the most interesting, and thereby the focal point in each painting. Each mark is essential. This concept is fortified by my choice of palette, and painting style, as I deliver the essence of the barn, an ephemeral structure that would exist even in the absence of the structure itself.