AART: S1E13 - Rebecca Youssef

This week mixed media artist Rebecca Youssef. Rebecca was born in Lebanon, PA in 1973. The daughter of teachers Chic & Linda Hess, she was the middle of three children; she has an older brother and younger sister. Art runs in her family in different mediums; her sister and a cousin are graphic artists, an aunt was a fashion designer, and her paternal grandmother was a hobby painter. At the age of 9, her family moved to Hawaii where Rebecca began to appreciate the connection between nature and nurture. She developed her interest in gardening and arboriculture, which established the foundation for her focus on eco-culture. Her love of trees and nature is reflected in her work as she strives to bring awareness to the importance of sustainable art. She says: “I’ve been an avid gardener since the age of ten. Even then, I recall understanding the importance of growing and nurturing native plants. I was already in awe of California’s lush topography, and knew that a balanced ecosystem was key to survival for all its members.” Rebecca graduated from the University of Arizona in Tucson with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and a Masters in Art Education from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. After college she worked as a graphic artist and in fashion before teaching art. She met her husband Ike in LA where they live with their three children; Andrew, Caroline and Margaret. Rebecca returned to art seven years ago and after initially finding it a challenge once she found how her art belonged in her soul and with her eco-friendly values, she settled into what has become her niche; using natural materials and sustainable practices for eco-conscious mixed media art. She says: ‘Beautiful things can be made by working with the planet, not taking from it.” As the saying goes: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and Rebecca has proved how waste can be transformed into beauty. A cultivator of native California oak trees, her family’s acorn project has seen over 25,000 acorns planted in the Santa Monica Mountains over the past ten years. Rebecca is currently an artist-in-residence at the 18th Street @ The Airport art complex in Santa Monica, CA.Rebecca’s favorite female artists: "Jaclyn Gordyan, who uses objects found in nature in her work Laurey Bennett-Levy, who is a printmaker using cyanotype Joan Wulf, who uses smoke and fire to create marks Julie Mehretu, who creates layered, abstracted landscapes Mickalene Thomas, whose collages incorporate glitter, rhinestones and enamel."Rebecca’s playlist:"Podcasts: I Like Your Work, Art Problems, The Flying Fruitbowl, Arts To Hearts, Armchair Expert, Pivot Music: Hip Hop only Audiobooks: Everything from fiction to self help. I just started Finding The Mother Tree and am loving it."Rebecca's website: https://www.rebeccayoussef.com/Instagram: rebecca.youssef_studioHost: Chris StaffordFollow @theaartpodcast on InstagramEmail: [email protected] a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wisp--4769409/support.