Scrapes of Sustainability: Artist Spotlight on Rebecca Youssef

Artist Bio: Rebecca Youssef is a Los Angeles-based mixed media artist who was raised on the north shore of O’ahu, Hawaii. Rebecca is known for frenetic mark making, bold colors, and her use of repurposed materials. Galvanized by the sustainability movement to protect our planet, her work aims to give new life to discarded paper, boxes and bags by immortalizing them in art that honors their journey from tree to canvas.

Rebecca received her BFA from the University of Arizona in Tucson and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue her MA in Art Education at Loyola Marymount University. Following graduate school, Rebecca taught art at various schools across Los Angeles. Currently, she is an artist-in-residence at the 18th Street @ The Airport art complex in Santa Monica, California.

Artist Statement

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had my hands in either dirt or paint. I carry a deep respect for wild, untouched lands and hand-crafted art. Galvanized by the sustainability movement to protect our planet, my work finds a home in the space where art and environmentalism collide. Whether it’s painting on paper I made by hand or on recycled grocery bags, I tell a story through rich, organic colors and gestural mark-making foraged from my outdoor adventures.

I’m heavily influenced by the raw beauty of the southwest- the coasts, the mountains and the desert. My work honors the natural beauty of this great land. When I’m not in the studio, I have my hands in either paper pulp or soil or I’m out working on my native tree reforestation project in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Recent work on Rebecca’s #Heartlist

Crystal Michaelson’s large abstract paintings and collages, Daryl Burtnett’s ink washed pieces, Jodi Hays’ cardboard box paintings.

Find Rebecca on: 

Website: www.rebeccayoussef.com

Instagram: @rebecca.youssef_studio