The Beginning
Our very first co-designed and handcrafted Illusion Glass artwork, created in 2018. Inspired by a vibrant tree frog that visited our backyard in Folsom, Louisiana, this piece marks the birth of our signature series.
Illusion Glass is our proprietary development — a refined fusion of traditional leaded glass construction and specialized hand-painting techniques. This unique method allows each piece to glow with luminous color when backlit, while also revealing rich, painterly depth and detail in ambient indoor light. It is this remarkable dual nature that inspired us to coin the term “Illusion Glass.”
The Beginning
How we began…
It started in 1980 at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette. Two young art students from very different backgrounds found themselves in the same classes, sharing assignments, late-night critiques, and big dreams of becoming successful artists.
Life, however, had other plans. Mark left to serve in the United States Navy, building a full career there. Sandra pursued her own path through a series of careers. For thirty-six years their lives moved in separate directions — until one day, the two people who had once known each other so well found their way back together.
They married, and with that union came the beautiful renewal of a long-held dream: to create art together.
Mark had already begun experimenting with woodburning (pyrography) in 2016, capturing the Louisiana landscapes he loved. When Sandra joined him, their combined talents opened new doors. In 2018 they created their very first co-designed piece — a small Illusion Glass artwork inspired by a tiny tree frog that visited their backyard in Folsom. That single frog became the spark that ignited everything.
From that moment, Art Illusions by Young was born.
What started as a shared passion quickly grew into a true artistic partnership. Together they developed their signature Illusion Glass technique and began sculpting clays, pyrography, paintings, and intricate dioramas that celebrate the heart and soul of Louisiana. Every piece is handmade with love, patience, and deep respect for the materials and the stories they tell.
Ours is a bit of a Cinderella story — two artists who found each other again after decades apart and turned a long-ago dream into reality.
As we continue this journey, we’ll be sharing more of our story: the methods behind our madness, funny moments in the studio, progress photos, and the inspiration behind each new creation. One thing remains constant — our love for God, for each other, for this beautiful state we call home, and for the joy of creating art that brings beauty into people’s lives.
We invite you to follow along. We’d love to have you with us on this adventure.
With gratitude,
Mark & Sandra Young
Art Illusions by Young
