Meet Jordan Young of Yucaipa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Young.

Hi Jordan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Growing up my family always encouraged artistic expression through visual arts and music, now I realize how much of an impact it has had on my life. I never took my art seriously until I attended Orange Coast College and was introduced to the ceramic arts. It was at OCC where I was inspired by my ceramic professor to pursue a career as an artist. Then I transferred to California State University Fullerton to work on my Bachelors in Fine Arts with a concentration in ceramics. At CSUF I was able to work alongside many talented artists and this gave me the opportunity to create art with new mediums like glass or metal.
Graduating in 2019 was a huge personal accomplishment and the beginning of my career as an artist. Soon after finishing college I started my business as a ceramic artist creating both utilitarian wares and sculptural pieces.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been many hurdles to figuring out how to run a business. Something to consider is that every hurdle is an opportunity to learn and grow as an artist and individual, learning from trial and error has been slow but completely rewarding. In the beginning I was only focused on creating and selling my work, then I realised there is so much more to being a successful artist. Exposure, and balance were the new struggles I faced opening a business.
Marketing the business through social media became crucial to have my work exposed to the public. Also, applying to open calls for art shows across California have been beneficial to exposure.
As an artist there will always be a balance between what you create for your own fulfillment and the art you create to sell for the business. This was probably one of the hardest lessons I had to learn.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In the past few years I have been focusing on two different styles of ceramics, marbling with colored clay and traditional horsehair pottery. The work I am probably most known for is my horsehair ceramics. Horsehair pottery is the process of burning hair onto a hot fired pot to create a distinctive design giving each piece unique character. Something I appreciate about this technique is while the process can be replicated, each piece ends up completely different in the final stages.
What makes me proud with my ceramics is when I see my artwork in a gallery on a pedestal next to other extremely talented artists, this is where I feel a sense of accomplishment as a business owner and artist.
I feel creating something unique and irreplicable has set me apart from others as an artist. While the technique itself can be replicated, in the end, each piece has its own flow, character, weight, and personality.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I am usually a very cautious person, starting a business from scratch while not knowing what to expect was a huge risk for me, personally and financially. Between the two the financial aspect was the largest risk. Selling my art as a primary source of income was a risky move but one of the best decisions I have ever made. The pressure kept that artistic drive going to push myself as to create new work and explore new designs or techniques.

Contact Info:

• Website: jordanyoungart.gallery
• Instagram: jordanyoungart
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jordan-young-050596362