Autumn Inspiration with Artist and Designer, Josh Yöung

As the autumn season and the desire to create warm, inviting spaces arrives, we look to find inspiration from our favorite creatives for their take on color, texture, and decor. This fall, we’ve turned to celebrated artist, designer and tastemaker, Josh Yöung, to share where he finds inspiration to create his beautiful art and curated interiors as well as how he uses scent to establish a relaxed, atmospheric home environment.

 

Learn more about Josh’s process, his favorite Mizensir scents, and details about our upcoming event in New York City below.

 

 

Based in Washington, D.C., Josh Yöung is a graduate of Italy's renowned Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; his six years spent in Milan heavily influenced and crafted his overall artistic style. 

Inspired by the fusion of Old World elements married with bold, modern-day techniques, he has been experimenting with an avant-garde approach to classical portraits and paintings since 2009.

What path led you to pursue a career as an artist?

"I’ve been painting and drawing since I was a child. My parents built me my first art studio when I was only 13, and I think I always knew I wanted to become an artist. At 19 I moved to Milan where I lived for 6 years and really began developing my overall creative point of view. After a few years of working in various creative fields, I established my studio, Josh Yöung Design House in 2017."

 Who inspires you as an artist or where do you draw inspiration from?

"I’ve always been inspired by the past. I’m drawn to historical elements, and I’ve always tried to incorporate them into my work while making the overall composition still feel modern and relevant. Whether looking at my Bibliothèque collection which features abstracts that I create on top of 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th century documents, or my Portrait collections, there’s a clear understanding for my love of the past."

Can you tell us a bit about your creative process? What mediums do you use?

"I love texture and the depth it adds to any composition. I’ve always focused on layering my pieces with a variety of mediums such as plaster, oil pastel, graphite, and even collaging loose items such as torn canvas, linen, and antique papers. I want all of my pieces to have a sense of depth and complexity when viewing them."

With life moving quickly and distractions abound, how do you put yourself in a creative mood to focus on your work? 

"Whenever I’m in my studio, I’m conscious of three things: music, lighting, and scent. I tend to always put on one of my playlists, fill my studio with beautiful mood lighting, and have a favorite candle burning in the background."

What attracted you to Mizensir? 

"Mizensir has unique, and beautiful fragrances. Their candles and perfumes have a nostalgic quality to them which I love. Each fragrance is layered with a variety of different notes which feels elegant, sophisticated, and memorable."  

 Art can transport you to different times in history, lift your emotions, and change your point of view. Do you think scent does the same? How so?

"Absolutely. As I mentioned before, scent inspires me. Every time I’m in my studio working on a new collection or painting a commission piece, I’m burning a candle to help relax and inspire me. Scent is something to never overlook in one’s home or environment. Scent is atmospheric, and it really helps establish a mood and feeling within a space. Just like a particular color palette or the lighting in a room can change one’s overall mood, scent has that same ability."

Is there a particular candle or fragrance from Mizensir that transports you?

"Bois Ardent has become one of my all-time favorite scents. Fragrance, as we know, has the ability and power to transport us and trigger specific memories. The first time I smelled this candle I was instantly transported back to my childhood. Growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania, autumn and winter were always (and still are), my favorite seasons. It’s hard to describe, but this scent reminds me of this beautiful change of seasons when the days become colder, the scent of the outdoors is crisper, and there’s a sense of warmth inside. I absolutely adore this candle."

How does wearing fragrance elevate or change your mood?

"Fragrance has always been a huge part of my daily routine. Whether getting dressed for a formal occasion, or casually dressed while working in my studio, I’m always wearing something. Ideal Oud by Mizensir is my absolute go-to. To say that I love it is an understatement. It’s warm and intoxicating, but still fresh and clean. Most importantly, it’s unisex. I’ve always worn fragrances that, in my opinion, could be worn by both sexes. I quite literally receive compliments everywhere I go while wearing it and who doesn’t love that?" 

What scent notes are you drawn to and why?

"For me, it always depends on the season. During autumn and winter, I gravitate towards oud, musk, bergamot, clove, and evergreen. For spring and summer, I love jasmine, fresh greens, and rose."

 Thank you, Josh.

You can find more of Josh's favorite autumn scents from Mizensir here. 

On October 4th, Mizensir is pleased to welcome Josh Yöung to our New York City boutique for an evening of art and scent. Josh will be debuting a limited collection of hand-painted candles in his favorite Mizensir scents.

Discover and shop pieces from Josh Yöung's beautiful collection of artwork as well as his favorite Mizensir fragrances and candles to welcome the autumn season. Join us to bring warmth and richness to your home and find additional details here.