Marvin Young American, b. 1961

Born in 1961, Marvin Young is a lifelong resident of Chicago’s South Side. Young has been dedicated to art-making since childhood and joined Arts of Life’s South Side studio in 2024. Intensely observant and drawing constantly, his works exist as an expression and record of both his community and personal experience over the decades. These quick yet detailed representations of figures and urban landscapes, both imagined and remembered, capture his hometown in a singular voice. His subjects range from checkered taxis to female police officers to the since demolished public housing project he lived in on Cottage Grove. Endearing portraits are defined by his characteristic approach to depicting facial features, hairstyles, and textile details. Young’s landscapes include elaborately rendered vintage walk-ups, brownstones, brick 4-flats, and residential high-rises—often boasting distinct cornices, bay windows, chimneys, and stoops—typical of his South Side neighborhood. These architectural facades are surrounded by blue skies, traffic signs, brightly hued vehicles (recalling 70s and 80s models), and arching streetlights. Quite prolific, Young often produces multiple small-scale drawings a day or one large-scale drawing over several days, using graphite and a combination of materials that can include colored pencils, crayon, pen, and marker.