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 oft 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 murals, apparel & club flyers,
her art can be spotted in magazines & ipod covers and in boutiques across the city of San Francisco
and beyond. She recently illustrated the 2010 holiday card and front cover for the SF Bay Guardian,
which was seen on newstands all over the Bay area.
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.
