BIO

Over the past fifteen years illustrator, painter and designer Ursula Xanthe Young has become known for her unique flowery urban fairytale illustrations. Graduate of Parsons School of Design (Illustration, BFA, New York 1996) Ursula exhibits frequently in the Bay Area and has sold paintings in New York, London, Singapore, Manila, Hong Kong and all across the U.S.

Ursula finds inspiration in the organic yet urban landscape of San Francisco and its surrounds; the crossed wires, Victorian buildings and fog-filled horizons, that are often backdrop to her brightly painted doe-eyed flower girls. She is also highly influenced by her frequent travels to the far-flung reaches of the globe and the variety of colorful characters that she encounters - both real and imagined - along the way.

Due to her love of electronic music since the early 90’s, and the culture that surrounds it, Ursula’s art can be seen on CD & record covers of dance music labels including Om records, Safe In Sound Music, Loveslap recordings, 2 Block Radius & Panhandle records. Along with large wall murals, apparel & club flyers, her art can be spotted in magazines & ipod covers and in boutiques across the city of San Francisco and beyond. 

Originating from the green rural dales of Northern England, Ursula has spent much of her time since then traveling and has studied art in New York City, Florence, Vermont, Oslo, and London. After ten years making her mark in the Lower Haight neighborhood of San Francisco, she recently relocated to the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California - this time to a remote spot in the forest - where she’s busy finding a whole host of new inspirations

VIDEOS

Head in the Clouds, a short video about my parklet for Luna Rienne Gallery, 2013

Its a Jungle Err day, the making of the Few n Far Sacramento mural, 2012

Voyage into a Parallel Universe, promotional video for solo show at fabric8, 2012

SELECTED ARTICLES, REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS

Sacramento News and Review do a 2 page story on my art and murals, 2013

Sacramento Press and RanSACked media cover the Sacramento Mural Project with Few n Far, 2012

Groove Effect artist interview, 2010

SF Station reviews my Alterered States, Dreamscapes and Underworlds show at Fabric8, 2009

InTheMO video interview, 2009

SF Weekly does a blurb of the best places to buy art with a nod to my work at Canvas Gallery, 2005

BOOKS & PUBLISHED WORKS

Newbrow: 50 contemporary artists (available through Art Whino)

The Freedom Book, 100 artists (no longer in print)