A Return to the Studio

Dear Collector,

I’m grateful to share that my surgery was successful.

I’m now back home, resting comfortably, and beginning to ease back into the rhythm of the studio. This past month has been unusually quiet on the painting front — filled instead with doctor’s appointments and preparation. While February felt short in brushstrokes, it deepened my perspective in ways I’m only beginning to understand.

I should know within the week whether the diagnosis confirms cancer. I’m steady, hopeful, and deeply appreciative of your support during this time.

New Release: Winter Pasture

I’m pleased to release a new 7 x 5 inch watercolor capturing a quiet winter field — a solitary cow standing against a vast expanse of snow, a winding creek cutting through the stillness, and distant trees dissolving into a soft gray horizon.

These 7x5in watercolors serve as my daily warm-ups. They allow me to experiment with light and texture on a smaller canvas, and I plan to continue this series throughout the winter months.

A Personal Gift: Cherry Blossoms for My Caretaker

During recovery, I was reminded that healing is rarely a solitary experience.

My girlfriend has been my steady presence through this entire season — encouraging rest when I’m stubborn, and sitting beside me when the days felt long. She has been, in every sense, my nurse and my calm.

As a gesture of gratitude, I’ve begun painting months ago a branch of cherry blossoms for her.

Cherry blossoms feel especially fitting right now — symbols of renewal, fragility, and the fleeting beauty of a moment. Their quiet elegance carries the same tenderness she’s shown me these past weeks. The piece is delicate, restrained, and intentional — a reflection of care given without fanfare.

Some paintings are created for exhibition. Some are created for collectors. And some are created simply to say thank you.

New Work: Celebrity Mugshot Exhibit – Second April, Canton

I’ve already begun work on a new watercolor for an upcoming Celebrity Mugshot exhibit opening at Second April in Canton. My subject: Jerry Lee Lewis.

There’s something haunting and human about mugshots — especially of cultural icons.

Even in its unfinished state, the piece carries an intensity I’m excited about. Watercolor demands restraint and courage — qualities I feel especially aware of right now.

A New Medium: Egg Tempera

I’ve also begun experimenting with Egg Tempera — a centuries-old medium known for its luminosity and permanence. And I have to say… I’m in love with it.

The surface quality is unlike anything I’ve worked with before — velvety, matte, and layered with quiet strength. I’ve quickly painting a quick sketch of a cat, to help better understand how the medium works and layers. Not meant to be a serious piece at all, but something fun, quick, and silly. My approach for it is much like watercolor, using many layers to build depth, but that extra separation of medium between pigments gives it a whole other dimension I can’t capture in photography.

It feels like the beginning of something significant in my evolution as a painter.

Exhibitions & Honors

I’m honored to share several upcoming and current exhibitions:

• The Ohio Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibit is now opening at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts in Findlay, Ohio. Featuring Avalanche Lilies.
• In March, a limited reproduction of Okay Now will be displayed at the Kirk Schuring Center for the Stark County Minority Business Association opening.
• I was recently juried into the 22nd Annual Bryn Du Art Show, hosted at Bryn Du Mansion in Granville, Ohio, for my painting Corporate Contempt. Being selected for this exhibition is a meaningful milestone.

Reproduction Winner

Each month, one email newsletter subscriber is selected to received a free reproduction of their choice.

And the winner is..

• Elijah W. from Asheville, North Carolina

This season has reminded me how fragile and resilient life can be — how art continues, even when paused. I’m stepping back into the studio with renewed gratitude, clarity, and ambition.

Thank you for being here. Your presence in this journey means more than you know.

With appreciation, Benjamin J. Young.