From Dec. 3 to March 3, 2023 an art exhibit named “Joy” will be show at Miles Memorial Hospital, 35 Miles St., Damariscotta by native Maine artist Cheryl Young. 

Young loves animals, and this is her expression of the delight and pleasure they bring. She uses colored pencils, sometimes combined with pen and ink or gouache, to bring animal drawings to life and to show intricate detailing.

Born in Brunswick and now residing in Bath, Young has lived in California, Virginia, and Puerto Rico. She has participated in shows at Damariscotta River Grill, fund raisers for the Lincoln Home, and shows her work regularly at River Arts Gallery in Damariscotta, where she is a volunteer gallery associate on Fridays. Young shows at Boothbay Region Art Foundation, recently had a solo show at Southport Memorial Library, and won awards such as Best in Show at the Maine Sportsman Alliance Show 2022.

When earning her BFA degree in Art from the University of Southern Maine, Young took classes in oil painting, pottery, and textile design, but her first love was drawing. Colored pencil allows her to have to the precise control of drawing while using color. Her favorite brands are Caran d’ Ache, Faber Castell, and Prismacolor, which she chooses based on the type of animal and the mood she wishes to convey. She typically uses several photos for reference for each drawing but challenges herself to take her images beyond the photographic image and convey a sense of warmth, emotion, and three dimensionality. The animal’s eyes are the first place she begins because they are the where the viewer connects to the image.

This artist hopes that other people will experience the joy of animals that she wishes to convey with this show. For more about this artist, visit www.cherylofbathart.com.