The Southport Memorial Library welcomes Cheryl Young as Artist of the Month, September and October, through the 29th.

Cheryl Young’s Maine roots go back to the 1600s. Cheryl primarily draws animals, influenced by them while growing up in a rural area of Brunswick, Maine. She helped her family raise different domestic animals, watching or interacting with wild creatures in the fields and woods of their extensive property, such as having moose walk through their yard, seeing ruffled grouse with their chicks in the woods, rehabilitating a great horned owl and a baby raccoon, and having to get home before dusk to put the chickens and/or ducks in their pens for the night.

Young believes that art tells a story, and she combines her love of drawing, color, and nature to tell the tale about animals. Her mediums are colored pencil, ink, and watercolor pencil. Her technique of drawing with colored pencil is a little unusual, using colored artist papers and applying many layers, resulting in a pastel or even painting type look.

Animals attract her because she believes humans have a strong empathetic connection. Drawing them is fascinating because animal fur, skin, and feathers have texture, patterns, and colors, like fabrics. Cheryl also designs and sews clothing and is currently working on plans to incorporate her animal motif into her clothing designs.

Cheryl Young graduated from University of Southern Maine with a BFA in art, with concentrations in drawing and textile design.

She is a member of River Arts in Damariscotta, Boothbay Region Art Foundation, and Meetinghouse Arts in Freeport; and takes part in the Wiscasset Art Walk and other art shows during the year.

She currently lives in Bath with her family and their cat, Murphy. 

The Southport Memorial Library is at 1032 Hendricks Hill Road, Southport. The library begins winter hours Sept. 1:  Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with additional evening hours on Thursdays from 6-8. For more information, call the library at 633-2741.