My goal in all of my work is to create from a place where nothing is wasted during the creation process. This is a mentality that I approach my work with every time I enter the studio, and it affects the way I create everything from paper studies to large scale installations. All of the pigments I use come from plant and mineral sources, the canvas comes from old drop cloths that I've added new marks to. Textiles are often thrifted or donated to me, and any leftover textiles and canvas are always used in future paintings. In creating this work I am demonstrating the value of working with the land rather than against it, and creating within a circular economy.

Nicole Young is an interdisciplinary abstract artist based on the traditional, unceded and occupied territories of the Musqueam, Squamish AND Tsleil-Waututh first nations. Born in Ontario, Nicole received her BFA from UBC Okanagan and studied studio arts and art history at UCLA. She works in the confluence of visual arts, environmentalism and storytelling. Her pieces are as much science experiments as they are conversations on ways to approach climate justice. Nicole makes pigments and dyes from sustainable sources as a way to create a dialogue about waste-free practices. Her work has been exhibited in Canada and abroad since 2010.

If you would like to learn more about Young’s work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.