Iconic Artist Russell Young Visits Denver with His Newest Screen Print Collection

An ode to the Grit & Glamour of America's past 100 years

April 10, 2024

Elizabeth Mehert-Ab,

Images by @drewwallace

Russell Young’s recent opening of his “Grit & Glamour” exhibition at Cherry Creek’s Relévant Galleries, captivated the senses. From encrusted diamond dust sparkling under gallery lights to the detail of custom-mixed pigment, each screen print painting commemorated a unique moment in American history over the last 100 years.

“It debuts a new series of mine, Dreamland, which I spent the last three or four years creating,” Young shares. “It’s almost like really strong retrospectives to myself because the West series, which was the Native Americans and the Cowboys, is a series I’ve been working on for a decade. I’m constantly adding to that series.” Grit & Glamour juxtaposes between the concepts of fame and shame. Young’s use of diamond dust exudes old Hollywood’s beauty and mystery, while the Wild West provides edgy contrast.“I love to play between the American Dream and the counterculture.”

Images by @drewwallace

Growing up in Northern England, Young found solace in American pop culture during the 60s and 70s. With his dad, he watched American movie classics, like The Magnificent 7, and famous fights, featuring Muhammed Ali, leaving a deep and lasting impression on him. They were an escape from the violence and darkness of his once gloomy environment. It was then that he realized his dream of living in California. “LA was the Flame, and I was the moth. I was drawn to it just as I am to all these characters.”

Today, as an American citizen, most of Young’s works are created in his California studio, with larger paintings brought to life in New York with his master printer and assistants. Young explains it can take years of looking at thousands of images before choosing one. “It takes a lot of energy, time and patience to get the balance right,” he says. Young’s acrylic Elvis 1968 Triptych took around ten days to get one painting after trying different ways to achieve the vision of his mind’s eye. “I’m very lucky to work with great people,” Young shares. “It’s a very simple process, but I think we’ve taken it to a powerful level.”

Images by @drewwallace

Bear Warrior, another screen print painting from the Grit & Glamour collection, took Young eight months to create. It comprises of a printed background with black enamel on top and iron oxide powder with one-of-a-kind pigments and elements – pure alchemy. Young collected and sprayed Californian sea water and, for almost a month, let it sit out in the rain to create mesmerizing streaks.

Young describes color as a feeling and emotion that evokes so much within us. He finds much of his color inspiration from the natural world – California’s mountains, ocean, and plants. Most paintings are hand-poured, with rich pigments made from scratch from years of study. “When the paint is mixed, that’s it. I [only] do one batch. I never write down a recipe. So, I can never reproduce that color.” His attention to detail and quality brings each painting to life which pleasantly surprise collectors. “A lot of people have bought my work online and [are] astonished by the way it looks through various seasons and times of day.”

Grit & Glamour is probably Young’s most diverse exhibition he’s ever released. This diversity, he says, allows everyone to find something that resonates with them and what they’re all about. People are free to find their path of discovery.