Paige Young is a photographer located in the Midwest of the United States. Her love with photography began with the connection between psychology and photography. She saw the intimacy between photographer and subject. She noticed how images can affect the love and compassion we find for ourselves.
Her commercial work and fine art work focus on self-compassion. They tackle ideas of grief, eating disorders, mental health, and representation in politically erased communities. She has owned her own business for more than 15 years. She normalizes and represents all forms of love and diversity in her work. Besides equality, storytelling and freezing moments in time are elements that are incredibly important to Paige, especially as she ages.
CV & Exhibitions
EDUCATION
2015-2018 Kendall College of Art & Design, Grand Rapids, MI
MFA, Photography
MA, Visual and Critical Studies
2011-2014 Grand Valley State University, Allendale / Grand Rapids, MI
BA, Advertising
BA, Photography
Associate degree in Business
2009-2011 Lake Michigan Community College, Benton Harbor, MI
Associate degree in Art
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2025 -Associate Professor, Kendall College of Art and Design at Ferris State University, Grand Rapids, MI
Courses: Black and White Film, Video, Design: Image, Professional Practices, Lighting, Special Topics: Photography off the Paper, Thesis I & II
2023 – 2025 Visiting Professor, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI
Courses: Black and White film, Black and White Advanced Film/ Experimental processes, Interactive Studio: Art, Interface, and Collaboration, Intermediate Photography (Digital Processing)Introduction to Photography (Digital), Studio Photography, Color Photography, Making and Meaning (VMA Theory), Thesis Advising, Studio, and Senior Independent Studies.
2023 Adjunct Professor, Photography 1, Grand Rapids Community College,
Grand Rapids, MI (SPRING)
2023 Adjunct Professor, Black and White Film Photography, Grand Valley University, Grand Rapids, MI (SPRING)
2023 Adjunct Professor, Introduction to Photography, Grand Valley University, Grand Rapids, MI (SPRING)
2023 Adjunct Professor, Thesis II, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI (SPRING)
2023 Adjunct Professor, Photography Seminar, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI (SPRING)
2022 Adjunct Professor, Introduction for Non-Majors, Photography, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI (FALL)
2022 Adjunct Professor, Professional Practices, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI (FALL)
2022 Adjunct Professor, Photographic Thesis I, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI (FALL)
2022 Adjunct Professor, Introduction to Photography, Grand Valley University, Grand Rapids, MI (FALL)
2022 Adjunct Professor, Advertising and Image, Special Topics Photography, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (SPRING)
2022 Adjunct Professor, Photographic Seminar (theory), Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (SPRING)
2021 Adjunct Professor, Photographic Thesis I, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (FALL)
2021 Adjunct Professor, Introduction to Non-Majors, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (SPRING)
2021 Adjunct Professor, Photographic Seminar (theory), Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (SPRING)
2020 Adjunct Professor, Introduction to Non-Majors, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (FALL)
2020 Adjunct Professor, Photography I, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. (SPRING)
2020 Adjunct Professor, Understanding Still Photography, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. (SPRING)
2020 Adjunct Professor, Understanding Still Photography, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. (SPRING)
2019 Adjunct Professor, Understanding Still Photography, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. (FALL)
2019 Adjunct Professor, Understanding Still Photography, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. (FALL)
2019 Adjunct Professor, Understanding Still Photography, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. (SPRING)
2018 Adjunct Professor, Understanding Still Photography, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. (FALL)
2017 Adjunct Professor, Introduction to Photography for Non-Majors, Kendall College of Art & Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (SPRING)
2016 Adjunct Professor, Introduction to Photography for Non-Majors, Kendall College of Art & Design, Grand Rapids, MI. (FALL)
2015 Adjunct Professor, Black and White Film Photography, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI. (FALL)
GRANTS / AWARDS
2025 Influential Women Recognition 2025 –
Influentialwomen.com – invite, interview and publishing
2025 NYWeekly, Top 30 Female Disruptors of 2025 to Watch For, Sunshy Digital Media Publishing
2025 Professor Well-being Awards – Awarded by Grand Valley State University, Wellness Information Team [WIT] Peer Educators for the Center of Health2017-2018 Scholarship of Merit recipient, Kendall College of Art & Design
WEBSITE AND PRINT PUBLICATIONS
2025 Point Pleasant Catalogue, Paige Young V.2, article and printed publishing of ‘Broke Tape’ and ‘My life in a Prescription Bottle,” December 22, 2025
https://www.pointpleasantpublishing.net/single-post/paige-young-v-2
print: https://pointpleasantpublishing.substack.com
2025 VoyageMichigan Magazine, Meet Paige Young, November 12, 2025
https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/meet-paige-young-of-near-hudsonville
2025 Press Release, King NewsPress, Paige Young Honored for Inclusive Photography and Fine Arts Exploring Grief Identity and Emotional Storytelling, July 18, 2025.
https://kingnewspress.com/paige-young-honored-for-inclusive-photography-and-fine-arts-exploring-grief-identity-and-emotional-storytelling-25071830980/
2025 Goddessarts Magazine, Interview and Solo Exhibition with Paige Young, Coming together through joy and grief, Denmark, Published July 17, 2025 https://www.goddessartsmag.com/post/coming-together-through-joy-and-grief
Titan Contemporary Journal, Fantastical, Ethereal, and Enchanted
Elements in Contemporary Art, featuring the art of Paige Young, Patrick
Heagney, Yulia Belasia, Chen Goa, Josh Rockland, Ann Vollum and Steve Moors, https://www.aedrafinearts.com/titan, May 30, 2025
2025 Visual Art Journal, Issue #28, Interview with Paige Young, Visual Arts, Anna Gvozdeva, https://visualartjournal.com/2025/05/26/paige-young/, Physical and digital copy, June 2025
2025 Aedra Fine Arts, Series 14, Paige Young, Artist, Michael Hannah Curator
and Editor rom Aedra Fine Arts Publishing,
https://www.aedrafinearts.com/single-post/paige-young
2025 Issue 003 of Monochromica, Inside Outside Landscape, Pat Flanagan, Publisher, Monochromica and Novum Artis Magazines, pg 14-15.
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3092521
2025 Issue 003 of Monochromica, Inside Outside Landscape, Pat Flanagan,
Publisher, Monochromica and Novum Artis Magazines, pg
2025 NYWeekly, Top 30 Female Disruptors of 2025 to Watch For, Sunshy Digital Media Publishing
https://www.nyweeklymagazine.com/blog/top-20-female-disruptors-to-watch-out-for-in-2025
2025 Issue 002 of Monochromica, Moments I’ll remember, Memories you’ll Forget, Pat Flanagan, Publisher, Monochromica and Novum Artis Magazines, pg 56-57 https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3053103
2019 Embrace Beauty Magazine, Fine Art Ballet ‘Macy,’ Issue 31
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/1506671
Over 300 Online Publications between wedding and fine art work
40 Print Publications – Including many cover and spreads of Gay Wedding Magazine, WeddingDay Magazine, LoveInc and other wedding featured magazines
EXHIBITIONS
2026 Group Exhibition, Carrousel du Louvre , Banff National Park Landscapes In the stands of Artio Gallery at Art Shopping Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France. October 25-28
2026 Group Exhibition and Publication, Open Theme 1K Competition, These Died With You, Finalist, PJAS Summer 2026 publication, Penn State, Pennsylvania, https://www.pjasmag.org/
2026 Group Exhibition, Carrousel du Louvre , These Died With You, In the stands of Artio Gallery at Art Shopping Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France. APRIL 10-12
2026 Solo Exhibition, Smell the Flowers, Broke Tape, Smell the Flowers, Surrounded by the Flowers, These Died with You, Memories I’ll Remember, Moments You’ll Forget, My Life in a Prescription Bottle, Flex Galleries, Kendall College of Art and Design
Artist Talk: Feb 19, 2025
2026 Group Exhibition, Travel Exhibition, Image Created in Banff National Park, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography CIC, Glasgow, Scotland
2025 Women United Arts Movement, Art Prize 2025, “Measurements that I’ll never measure up to, 3rd place winner in Photography and Printmaking category. England, UK
2025 Group Exhibition. Pawspective. 20 selected pieces of animal portraits to be showcased and sold for the foundation. Donation Based. Doo Gallery. Muskegon, MI
2025 Group Exhibition, Women Making Their Mark, Memories I’ll remember, Moments you’ll forget: the landscape that became unfamiliar, O’Hanlan Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, CA
https://www.ohanloncenter.org/2025/06/women-artists-25/
2025 Group Exhibition, Florence Biennale XV Edition, These Died With You, Your Hands, Fortezza Da Basso Firenze, Florence, Italy
2025 Homiens’ Meet The Artist, Booklet and Full Year on Home-Page, Honorable Loss, United States
The Meet the Artists initiative: A competitive, merit-based, and curated way for art collectors and gallerists to make contact with exciting and dynamic artists producing valuable and intriguing new works of art. We invite you to pour yourself a coffee, and treat yourself to an hour or so flicking through this hand-picked wonderland of stimulating artistic endeavour.2025 Group Exhibition, Florence Biennale XV Edition, These Died With You, Your Hands, Fortezza Da Basso Firenze, Florence, Italy
2025 Group Online Exhibition, Freestyle 3.0, These Died With You, Second Place Winner, New York, NY
2025 Group Exhibition and Competition, Annual Photography Competition, These Died With You, Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget, Honeywell Arts & Entertainment Gallery, Wabash, In.
2025 Solo Exhibition, Memories You’ll Forget, Memories I’ll remember, moments you’ll forget & These Died with You, Stop and Smell the Flowers, film photography, digital online solo exhibition, Goddess Arts Gallery, KunstMatrix, Denmark https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/14549880/paige-young-memories-youll-forget
Alongside of solo interview: https://www.goddessartsmag.com/post/coming-together-through-joy-and-grief
2025 Group Exhibition, Eb & Flow, These Died With You, Group exhibition and competition, honorable mention & Blue Sky Finalist Award Ten Moir Gallery
2025 Group Exhibition, Resistance, Seen, Seen, Tick Tock, Margaret + Esther, We the People, Rhode Island for Photographic Arts, Providence, RI
2025 Group Exhibition and Photography Competition, Spring Open Theme, Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget, top 5 finalist, Art Collide, artcollide.com
2025 Issue 003 of Monochromica, Inside Outside Landscape, Pat Flanagan,
Publisher, Monochromica and Novum Artis Magazines, pg 14-15.
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3092521
2025 Group Exhibition, Stories of Identity, These Died With You, Matera at Lega Navale Italiana Gallery, Matera Magna Grecia, Matera, Italy
2025 Group Exhibition, The Big Gay Art Show, Seen, Sedona Arts Center, May-June 2025, exhibition and competition, Sedona, AZ.
2025 Group Exhibition, a fervent and necessary arrangement, The landscape that became unfamiliar, Midwest Nice Gallery, Spring 2025 juried exhibition juried byAndré Ramos-Woodard
https://www.midwestnice.art/exhibitions/arrangement/
2025 Issue 002 of Monochromica, Moments I’ll remember, Memories you’ll Forget, Pat Flanagan, Publisher, Monochromica and Novum Artis Magazines
2025 Group Exhibition, Diptych, Tick Tock, Praxis Photo Arts Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
2024 Group Exhibition, Transient Beings, Cyclical Wave, Padnos Gallery, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI.
2024 Group Exhibition, The Landscape That Will Become Unfamiliar, Vestal Museum, West Vestal, New York.
2024 Group Competition, 43rd Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition, Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget, Birmingham, Michigan.
2024 Group Photography Exhibition, (In)Decent Exposures, Measurements we had to measure up to,Oceanside, California.
2024 Art Contest and Gallery Display, Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget. “Life, Death, Love” competition at Art-Collide
2024 Group Exhibition, Color, Time, Decode Gallery, Tuscan, Arizona.
2024 Group Exhibition, Naturalist Gallery of Contemporary Art, Losing Weight; a piece of cake, Online Exhibition, https://naturalist.gallery/collections/meta-exhibition
2024 Group Exhibition, Women in Art, Undefined, Las Laguna Art Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA.
2024 Group Exhibition, Gallerium: People 2024, Margaret and Esther, Biafarin Online Exhibition, https://www.gallerium.art/people-2024?name=ashley-young
2024 Group Exhibition, Gallerium: The Books of Art: Femina 2024, Dance, Biafarin Global Online Exhibition, Raising awareness for women’s achievements, rights, and equality, https://www.gallerium.art/p/femina2024.html?name=ashley-young
2023 Group Exhibition & Contest, By and About Women III National Competition, Undefined, Westtown, PA, http://www.rcwaweb.org/exhibitions.html
2022 Group Exhibition, Feminist Insight Exhibition, Undefined, Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery, Fayetteville, NC.
2021 Online Exhibition, Art in the Time of Corona, Dab Art, Vol. 2., https://www.dabart.me/atc-exhibit-page-2021
2020 Group Exhibition, Alone in Quarantine**,** Art Prize**,** At home, Gallery 106, Grand Rapids, MI.
2020 Group Exhibition, Well Behaved Women: 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage, We the People, Lubeznik Center, Michigan City, IN.
2019 Group Exhibition, Endless Possibilities: GVSU Faculty Show, Human, NOMAD Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2019 Group Exhibition, Beyond the Selfie: Finally Content, Mental Illness, Undecided, The Art Center, Highland Park, IL.
2019 Group Exhibition, American Dream**:** Rae// HUMAN, Phern// Human, Arts Illiana Gallery, Terre Haute, IN.
2019 Group Exhibition: Who’s Who, Olivia // HUMAN, Lowell Arts Gallery, LowellArts Members Exhibition, Lowell, MI.
2019 Group Exhibition: Olivia / Phern / HUMAN, Lions & Rabbits, Grand Rapids, MI
2018 Small Works Group Show, We the People, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL.
2018 Group Exhibition, INFLUENCE, FiveLBS, Master Thesis Exhibition, Fed Gallery, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI.
2018 Solo Exhibition, Weighted, Featuring PhotoshopMe, insta-LOSS, and ThreadedLBS, Alluvium Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI.
2018 Two Piece Exhibition, Faux Stone, Two Piece Entry in Collaborative Space, Art(ery) Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI.
2017 Group Exhibition, Select (5) Images Hung Among Others in Collective Space. Fashion Month. Lions & Rabbits Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI.
2017 Solo Piece Exhibition, Photoshop Me, Solo Entry in Collaborative Space, Art(ery) Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2017 Group Exhibition, 2nd Annual MFA Collaboration, Group Show, Alluvium Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2017 Collaboration Exhibition, Fabrication, Jennifer Cantley (MFA Drawing) and Ashley ‘Paige’ Young (MFA Photography), Alluvium Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2016 Solo Exhibition, Distortion in the Mirror, Solo Exhibition, Bethlehem Lutheran, Grand Rapids, MI
2013 Group Exhibition, The Emerging Allegory, Remembrance, BA Thesis Exhibition, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI.
EXHIBITION IMAGES
2026 Solo Exhibition, Smell the Flowers, Broke Tape, Smell the Flowers, Surrounded by the Flowers, These Died with You, Memories I’ll Remember, Moments You’ll Forget, My Life in a Prescription Bottle, Flex Galleries, Kendall College of Art and Design
Artist Talk: Feb 19, 2025
2026 Group Exhibition, Travel Exhibition, Image Created in Banff National Park, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography CIC, Glasgow, Scotland
2025 Group Exhibition, Florence Biennale XV Edition, These Died With You, Your Hands, Fortezza Da Basso Firenze, Florence, Italy
2025 Group Online Exhibition, Freestyle 3.0, These Died With You, Second Place Winner, New York, NY
2025 Group Exhibition, Stories of Identity, These Died With You, Matera at Lega Navale Italiana Gallery, Matera Magna Grecia, Matera, Italy
2025 Issue 003 of Monochromica, Inside Outside Landscape, Pat Flanagan, Publisher, Monochromica and Novum Artis Magazines, pg 14-15.
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3092521
2025 Issue 002 of Monochromica, Moments I’ll remember, Memories you’ll Forget, Pat Flanagan, Publisher, Monochromica and Novum Artis Magazines, pg 43-44
2025 Group Exhibition, Diptych, Tick Tock, Praxis Photo Arts Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Featured in an online gallery, as well as an in person gallery – Opening Date April 19th, 2025
2024 Visiting Professor Group Exhibition, Transient Beings, Cyclical Wave, Padnos Gallery, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI.
Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget,
Black and White Ilford 400ASA Film, Darkroom Multiple Exposure, 2024
2024 Art Contest and Gallery Display, Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget. “Life, Death, Love” competition at Art-Collide
Undefined, Digital Photography, 20 x 24, 2018
2023 Group Exhibition & Contest, By and About Women III National Competition, Undefined, PA, http://www.rcwaweb.org/exhibitions.html
2024 Art Contest and Gallery Display, Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget. “Life, Death, Love” competition at Art-Collide – Top 5 Finalists
2024 Art Contest and Gallery Display, Moments I’ll Remember, Memories You’ll Forget. Book and Image “Life, Death, Love” competition at Art-Collide
2024 Group Exhibition, Color, Time, Decode Gallery, Tuscan, Arizona.
2020 Group Exhibition, Alone in Quarantine,* Art Prize,* At home, Gallery 106, Grand Rapids, MI.
2019 Group Exhibition: Olivia / Phern / HUMAN, Lions & Rabbits, Grand Rapids, MI
2019 Group Exhibition, Beyond the Selfie: Finally Content, Mental Illness, Undecided, The Art Center, Highland Park, IL.
2019 Group Exhibition, Endless Possibilities: GVSU Faculty Show, Human, NOMAD Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2018 Group Exhibition, INFLUENCE**, FiveLBS, Master Thesis Exhibition, Fed Gallery, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI.
Solo Show, Weighted.
2018 Solo Exhibition, Weighted, Featuring PhotoshopMe, insta-LOSS, and ThreadedLBS, Alluvium Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI.
2018 Two Piece Exhibition, Faux Stone, Two Piece Mixed Media Entry in Collaborative Space, Art(ery) Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI.
2017 Collaboration Exhibition, Fabrication, Jennifer Cantley (MFA Drawing) and Ashley ‘Paige’ Young (MFA Photography), Alluvium Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2016 Solo Exhibition, Distortion in the Mirror, Solo Exhibition, Bethlehem Lutheran, Grand Rapids, MI
