Meet Terese Young: Artist, Animal lover and Travel enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Terese Young and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Terese, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I might actually be able to write a book on risk taking. I think I’m wired to take them and my mom raised me to listen to my gut at an early age. Those two things together have led me to make some pretty huge leaps over the years! I flew to Australia by myself at age 20 and backpacked around there and New Zealand for 8 weeks. I eloped w my now husband of 24 years when we had 24 hrs to decide if we wanted to stay in the same country together. But I was a slower to take risks when it came to my art. I have a fundamental belief that you should really lean into things that scare you. But with my paintings, that conflicted with a tendency to be a perfectionist. Perfectionism is my Achilles heel! The more I’m able to shut it down, the happier I am with a piece. So it’s a HIGH priority for me every time I paint to push myself to take risks and grow! 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It took me years to get where I am today with my success. Motherhood always came first and sometimes forced me to set my painting on the shelf for periods of time. I also started doing it after we moved to a new city where I had very few connections! But as my daughter got older and needed me less and I slowly built a following of clients, I finally got to a point where I am never without a commission waiting. I’m really proud of that but it took some time! The biggest lesson I have learned is to not force things. Sometimes you have to for a show deadline but other than that, I trust that each piece is created in its own time. If a piece flows out quickly, fantastic! If it doesn’t…I let it breathe. I set it aside and come back to it. There’s a creative flow of energy that I try to tap into and if I’m patient, it’s like catching a huge wave in the ocean!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We’ve lived in Atlanta for 8+ years now and still have a lot to discover! But here’s where I’d make sure to take my peeps… Ponce City Market, eating at Botiwalla – amazing Indian street food! The tiny houses on the Beltline and Jeni’s ice cream after! We’d hit Yeah! Burger at Westside Provisions another day. Hiking to the bamboo forest at Palisades East on the Chattahoochee River with coffee/treat at Chattahoochee Coffee Shop after. Sushi at Park Tavern with stroll in Piedmont Park would be a must and knock out another section of the Beltline too.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mom and my husband, Ian have been my greatest cheerleaders when it comes to my art. They always encouraged me to keep going if I was ready to quit or was doubting myself. I smile whenever I think of their unwavering support over the years!

Instagram: @teresempaintings
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/teresempaintings