Hi, I’m Jay, the artist behind Young by Design. Although I grew up in the suburbs, the countryside has always felt like home to me. My family has lived on farms for generations, and now I’m lucky enough to live on a farm with my own young family. There’s something about the open skies, the quiet, and the space to just breathe that makes me feel more at peace than I ever did in the suburbs.

My journey with art began during a really difficult time in my life. After my first son was born, I went through Post-Natal Depression. I felt overwhelmed and lost in the demands of motherhood, unsure how to find myself again. It was actually my midwife who suggested taking small moments for myself, and that’s how I discovered watercolour painting. It became my lifeline—a way to find calm in the chaos and reconnect with who I was outside of being a mum. By the time my second son was born, painting had become my safe space, and I was free from PND.

Nature has always been my biggest source of clarity and peace. When life gets hectic, stepping outside, feeling the breeze, and hearing nothing but the sound of leaves or birds is where I find balance. That’s what I pour into my artworks—the stillness and quiet that the countryside brings to me. To share these calmest parts of my soul with others is such a gift, and it fills me with joy knowing I’m creating little pockets of peace in people's homes."