Annie Young, blind artist from Burnsville, paints a different picture of athletes in Antarctica
Annie Young, blind artist from Burnsville, paints a different picture of athletes in Antarctica
Annie Young, a Burnsville artist who is blind, offers insight on her exhibit at the Ames Center called "Journey To Rock Bottom" that started when she and her husband went to Antarctica to run a marathon back in 2018.
(FOX 9) - Whether it's battling the elements over icy terrain, experiencing what feels like a lunar landing, or glimpsing the nocturnal spectacle of the northern lights, painting seems to tell people what Annie Young can't communicate with words.
Now the visual artist is revealing a unique perspective of what endurance looks like at the ends of the earth.
"I want to tell the story of the power of focus, perseverance and having a dream and taking those small steps to achieve that dream," Young told FOX 9.
Young has an exhibit at the Ames Center called "Journey To Rock Bottom" that started when she and her husband went to Antarctica to run a marathon back in 2018.
She says she got to know runners from all over the world and decided to paint portraits inspired by their personal stories that led them to the beauty and serenity of the awe-inspiring landscape.
"Why do you run and why do you want to do these marathons and what motivated you to want to travel to Antarctica to run a marathon on this desolate continent," said Young.
Young had to use her imagination because she lost her eyesight 15 years ago due to a hereditary disease called Rod Cone Dystrophy, but she learned how to paint, despite her lack of sight.
She says she gets visions in her mind's eye and figures out a way to bring them to life, on a canvas, through a sculpture or through multimedia.
"When I go to dream at night, I get these amazing dreams and an image comes to me. Then it usually takes a few more dreams to figure out the process of how I'm going to take that dream and bring it to reality," said Young.
From the symbolic to the abstract, her works of art capture the drive and determination of the athletes in Antarctica.
She hopes her subjects inspire others to follow in their footsteps by chasing their own dreams as well.
"Whatever is in front of them, they can find a way. It's just baby steps. It's perseverance. It's finding a way and I know they can do it," said Young.