Women To Know: Lauren Younge

Lauren Younge is an abstract artist who loves to share her work and knowledge with others. She was teacher for four years in St. Louis before deciding to pursue her art career full-time and “is drawn to abstract art because it allows her to express herself more freely.”

The foundation allowed her to embrace her artistic nature at a young age, and also openly teach others what the magic of art had given her throughout her life.

“I am blessed with an amazing support system, specifically my mom who made sure to put me in creative camps and classes whenever I wasn’t in school,” Younge shares with HelloBeautiful. 

“She has always encouraged and championed my creative interests. Another part of my upbringing I can attribute to having such an influence on my artistic journey is the school district that I grew up in where I had many great art teachers that helped spark my initial interest in art,” she says.

As with many artists, Younge has a sentiment that she hopes people take from her work, albeit an admittedly simple one. “My goal with my art is simple really. I aim to spread joy and brighten people’s lives with my paintings,” she reveals.

“From my color choices, to the movement and patterns, my work is open to people’s interpretation. Painting is my main stress reliever, and allows me to feel renewed. With my art, I aim to create a similar feeling for the viewer,” Younge says.

For all the young Black girls coming after her, she has sage advice and wisdom that she hopes will inspire the next generation of fearless creators.

“To the Black girls out there wanting to pursue art—know that there is a place for your art. Never stop learning and honing in on your craft. Never be afraid to ask for help. Never be afraid to ask questions to fellow artists. Continue creating for yourself,” Younge says.

She continues, “I’ve found this helps me to remain inspired and wanting to create. For those creatives hoping to create to sell—it can be hard sometimes to stay inspired if the focus is to only make a profit. 

“My last piece of advice is to find your ‘why’ for creating and keep it close to your heart so you can better combat those feelings of imposter syndrome—you are creative and your art has value!,” Younge says.