A Flame That Won’t Burn Out

In The Dark

This painting features my son, holding a candle with silent intensity. It’s a scene full of stillness, yet filled with tension. The light reflects on his face, gently illuminating him against the deep black background. That candle isn’t just light—it’s fire, memory, and promise.

When I painted In the Dark, I was thinking about Robert Frost’s poem Fire and Ice, which explores the two forces that could end the world: the slow burn of desire, or the cold sting of indifference. I’ve felt both. After losing my fiancée and daughter in a tragic car accident, I went through months where I thought my inner flame had gone out.

But this painting is my vow: I will never let that happen again.

The candle represents the fire I now carry forward—for my son, for the people I’ve lost, for the stories I still have to tell. The light we hold inside can flicker, can shrink, can almost disappear—but it can also be protected, fed, and shared.

In the Dark isn’t just about grief. It’s about hope. It’s about what it means to look into darkness and still choose to keep your light alive.

This piece is a reminder that we all carry a flame—and sometimes, that tiny flame is enough to shed light on the loneliness and despair of a world that grows cold.

About the Artist

Ben Young is a contemporary fine artist originally from Appalachia, Ohio. Originally a Software Engineer, he began painting in watercolor and oil less than two years ago, and his work has quickly gained attention for its emotional depth and storytelling. Each piece is a personal narrative, rooted in lived experience and expressed through a sensitive, evocative style. Each piece touches on themes of loss, love, family, and resilience, often drawing from his own life, including the tragic loss of his fiancée and journey it took to overcome those emotional burdens. His paintings resonate with collectors drawn to authenticity, vulnerability, and a fresh, emerging voice in American art.

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Purchase Artwork

In The Dark is available for acquisition as the original watercolor painting or as a high-quality limited reproduction. Collectors may choose between owning the one-of-a-kind original or a museum-grade print that preserves the emotional depth and detail of the work. Both options offer a meaningful way to bring this powerful and personal piece into your collection.

Printed on premium archival fine art paper using only the finest archival-grade inks, these works meet the strict standards of giclée printmaking—ensuring exceptional detail, color accuracy, and fade resistance. Designed to preserve the integrity of the original artwork, each reproduction is a museum-quality piece intended to be cherished for generations.