Paco Young

As a boy in Tennessee, Paco Young was a talented musician who assumed he would pursue a career in the music business in nearby Nashville as most of his family had done. But when he got to college, he decided to give art a try for one year. It was then that he knew there would be no turning back. After five years of formal art training at the Memphis Academy of Arts, he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

A true outdoorsman, Young is now living near Bozeman, Montana, with his wife and young son in a setting that provides constant inspiration to fuel his imagination. As the world is becoming more high-tech, Young believes the simple life appeals to more people: "I want to record our times because they will be the past before we realize it." His splendid landscapes reflect his love of the land. Young's lifelong affinity for nature began during his boyhood when, surrounded by woods and streams, he lived in an ideal environment to foster such enthusiasm.

His oil paintings are timeless and full of vitality. Blessed with an uncommon ability to paint from life in the field, his new surroundings have had a great influence on his work: "Painting in the field has always been my first love. I find that I'm usually inspired first by a landscape or setting that seems ideal in terms of composition and design. The animals or birds I paint are elements in the overall design - they must exist within the conceptual framework of the painting, yet remain true to their natural mannerisms."

Traveling extensively, he has honed his technical skills with professional art tours, invitationals and group exhibits. His artwork was selected by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum for their 1990 "Wildlife: The Artist's View" and their 1991 "Birds in Art" exhibits; his artwork was also included in both of the exhibits' national tours. His artwork was also selected for the Leigh Yawkey Woodson's 1993 "Wildlife in Art' show. In 1994, Young was the Featured Artist at the Southeastem Wildlife Exposition. The recipient of many prestigious honors and awards, he has been the focus of a number of magazine articles.

Had he pursued a career as a musician, Young probably would have composed melodies to express the passion he feels for a landscape that is rapidly changing. Instead, he chose to express himself with paint and, like a classic melody, his paintings are unforgettable.