About
Contemporary quilt and wearable artist, Darcy Young is a retired para-accountant who specialized in heavy construction, job cost and architectural industries. In 1993 she retired from that field and returned to her love of sewing and fabric that started at the age of 8 on her grandmother’s treadle sewing machine.
For 25+ years she was an accountant during the day and a designer/seamstress at night. As her children reached junior high and high school, she began to design for the schools, most notably the formal evening gowns for Vidor, TX High School choir to sing at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC in 1983. Her costume designs for dance and twirling groups won many awards including “Best Costume, State of Louisiana USTA” in 1980.
Young’s first love is the dyeing, painting and embellishment of fiber. Her work is always evolving and now includes air-brush and screen-printing techniques. Dramatic in color, the pieces are embellished with free motion thread-painting, beading and intricate quilting designs. In a collection of new works, she has added printed silks and cottons using an Epson 7800 printer with Ultrachrome K3J inks. Taken from the artists’ own photographs, she has further enhanced and manipulated them with Photoshop and other photo/graphic art programs.
She is also now producing archival giclée prints of her work. They are printed on an Epson 7800 printer using Somerset Velvet paper. Somerset Velvet for Epson is a 100% cotton, acid-free paper that delivers archival prints when printed with EPSON UltraChrome K3J ink.
Artists Statement:
Some of us have always known what we want to be when we grow up; others take a little longer. As I approached the mid-point of my life, I realized there was a hunger for an artistic outlet that had never been satisfied. Even though I had been sewing and designing fashion clothing, formal wear and costumes for 25 years, there seemed to be something missing. I decided to go to art school. Taking art lessons and discovering the world of contemporary art quilts propelled me headlong into a joyful creativity that I had only dreamed of before.
I have always had an insatiable appetite and love of color. As a child my favorite crayon was Prussian Blue. These characteristics are still as intense as they were when I was a child. When I discovered the phenomenal world of quilting and wearable arts, I knew I was home. I use intense and strong colors, bright jewel tones that sparkle with vibrancy, soft pastels that soothe the spirit and the opposition of stark black and white. My fascination and excitement with fabric and texture encompass the whole spectrum of fiber, from the shimmer of satin to the density of velvet and the translucence of organza. I hand-paint my own fabrics, use machine embroidery and beading in my work. I hope those who see my work will share the passion and love of color that I experienced as a child; a passion that permeates my being to this day.
Thank you for visiting my site. I hope those who see my work will share the passion and love of color that embodies my spirit and brings a joy to the soul. I believe life is about growing and emerging into our own powers and strengths as we mature. It is about celebrating our individuality, our unique talents. It is about teaching and sharing with others. I am committed to that path both personally and artistically. One of my favorite writers says when describing creativity…………………
“My creativity confirms that I am more than I think I can be……….
And do more than I believe I can do.” – K. Bradford Brown