Mary Young’s Indigo Collection on Exhibit at Lys Arts Arts & Culture

Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief

Has the spring sun settled, and the fun finally begun? Well Friday, May 5, blessed the City of Chicago with a day of warmth and sunshine in so many ways. One sun way was the opening of Mary Young, The Indigo Lady,” textile artist’s exhibition, at Lys Arts Gallery located at 2700 East 83rd Street. Lys Arts is an arts space, gallery, and shop on the Southside of Chicago dedicated to uplifting diverse, interdisciplinary, and experimental artists. And appropriately so Mary Young’s art was presented in the perfect setting for her work.

I met Mary Young in February of this year when she was acknowledged with the ‘Chicago Living Legends Award from Illinois Institute of the Technology Office of Community Affairs and Outreach in cooperation with Bronzeville Dive Productions, along with six other noteworthy Chicagoans. She has provided instruction in textile design, teaching youth and adults throughout the city of Chicago. Mary Young says, “ Visual Art is the expression of one’s innermost feelings, emotions, intellect, and creativity applied to create a physical image of what you wish to say without words.” So, I asked, what about the artists who use words in their art?”

Mary says, “The words become art, even though they say something, their formation, shape, color, placement, and actual design are interwoven within the artistic design and serve more visually as a shape than a word.” Mary believes that art is an experience and that all people can express art in some way through the genre they’re called to express or the one of their choice. Clearly, everyone is not meant to be an artist as their living or profession, but at one time most human beings partook in the experience of expressing art.

“Just think of singing in the church or school choir, drawing in school, studying an instrument or your parents buying coloring books, and paint sets. At one time I remember when most Blacks either played a musical instrument or used their voice. Art was a part of everyone’s life. Today with the social media phenomena there is less art and more of that leaving a void.

Do you know that art is the one of things that distinguish us from the rest of the animal Kingdom?

So, thank God for Mary Young, who continues to teach Textile Design inspiring and guiding artistry at institutions including University of Chicago Collegiate Scholars Program; South-Side Community Art Center; Hyde Park Art Center, and Arthur Dixon Elementary School. She continues to instruct those interested in learning the technique she teaches.

In addition to her art Mary is known for her leadership positions in Arts Administration at cultural institutions throughout the City of Chicago Mary has served on grant panels with the Illinois Arts Council and Department of Cultural Affairs and continues to do so on other boards. Mary’s exhibitions have included galleries across the nation. But she is always happy to showcase her work in her home city of Chicago.

She is the recipient of several awards, including a Study-Abroad Program to Italy, an International Artist Exchange Program to Australia, and a Summer Artist Residency with the Department of Interior, Parks and Recreation, in Washington, DC. Mary was awarded an Inaugural Residency in 2015-16 with THE cre.ae.tive ROOM in Chicago, IL, followed by a Merit Scholarship to Ox-Bow School of Art & Residencies for Summer 2016 in Saugatuck, MI. More recently, she was awarded a Teaching Residency at the Hyde Park Art Center in 2018. Currently, Mary is the recipient of four commissions with the Hyde Park Art Center’s “Not Just Another Pretty Face” Program culminating with a Group Exhibition during the Fall/Winter 2019-20 with a catalog.

The works in the exhibition at Lys Arts are those of Mary Young’s Indigo collection ranging in price from $2000 to

$400 so go check out the Gallery and become a collector. Lys Arts management will work with to assist you with making a purchase so, don’t shy away.

I spoke briefly with the owner who said, “It seemed the perfect way to kick off the summer,” and indeed it was bringing out, Artists, Faith, Candace Hunter, and Gallery owner Ameera Lys says that Lys Official Summer hours are set! She says, “We are planning lots of events and we are growing our creative community! Updates on hours will be posted throughout the summer months. Check our socials to stay connected or sign up for our newsletter at www.lysarts.org to stay informed!”

The current exhibition runs through July 2023. Don’t delay, go now.