blank image

The Moment Between Breath and Resilience

Painted in the quiet stillness following my diagnosis in March 2026, I’m Sorry, It’s Cancer represents a pivotal moment in my body of work. Executed with meticulous drybrush watercolor technique on archival cotton paper, every stroke captures the suspended gravity of a fleeting second—and the resolute strength that immediately followed.

This piece is not a document of illness; it is a declaration of enduring life, narrative persistence, and the relentless pursuit of beauty through realism.

A moment that will resonate with others familiar with that feeling, and a feeling that would not last long, because I’m not ready to give up.

Take the Stories Home

Download the exclusive digital lookbook of my original paintings, featuring the stories behind the art, plus get 15% off your first limited-edition print.

Receive a beautifully designed digital booklet and a curated high-resolution wallpaper pack to bring the emotion and atmosphere of these paintings into your home.

Acquisition & Provenance

Acquisition of I'm Sorry, It's Cancer is offered as the singular original watercolor masterwork or as a strictly limited, museum-grade fine art edition. Whether securing the one-of-a-kind original—complete with custom museum framing and formal provenance—or an archival reproduction crafted to preserve every subtle nuance of pigment and paper, each piece represents a lasting investment in contemporary narrative realism.

100% Insured Shipping Internationally, Archival Safe for 100+ years, Secure Checkout.

Exhibition History & Recognition

  • Museum & National Selection
    • American Watercolor Society: Featured Artist, 2026 Associate Member’s Exhibition
    • Massillon Museum: Selected Artist, 2026 Stark County Artists Exhibition
  • Awards & Juried Exhibitions
    • First Place in Watercolor Portraiture: 2026 Stark County Fair
    • Selected Juried Artist: 2026 Door 2 Art Exhibition

I'm Sorry, It's Cancer is part of the Beauty in Darkness collection.

Meet the Artist, Ben Young

I am a contemporary painter based in Ohio, deeply rooted in the landscapes and narratives of the Appalachian plateau where I grew up. Having transitioned from a career in software engineering, I pour lived experiences—themes of profound loss, resilience, and quiet healing—directly onto the paper.

In I’m Sorry, It’s Cancer, these distinct threads of discipline, narrative, and survival converge. Bringing the analytical precision of my software engineering background to the meticulous, unforgiving medium of drybrush watercolor, I built this piece stroke by stroke in the quiet aftermath of my own diagnosis. It stands as both a technical milestone in my pursuit of narrative realism and an intimate testament to living with unyielding purpose—transforming a moment of profound vulnerability into a permanent work of quiet strength.

Artist Ben Young

Not ready to collect just yet?

Join Ben's Insider Circle to get behind-the-scenes studio updates, first access to new watercolor warmups, and 15% off when you're ready.