It started with a visit to the Orchid Show. The 2023 edition at the New York Botanical Garden, curated by Lily Kwong, stayed with Hayley Youngs longer than she expected. The shapes were strange, the colors unreal, the whole thing teetering between science fiction and dream. She left feeling like she hadn’t just seen flowers, but something—or someone—else.
In “Orchid Fever,” on view at 5-50 Gallery in Long Island City, Queens, from June 14 through July 20, Youngs doesn’t paint what orchids look like. She paints how they vibrate. Shapes stretch and swirl. Patterns lead your eye off course. The color palette glows. These works don’t sit quietly on the wall.
We spoke with Youngs about movement, intuition, painting as refuge and the strange power of flowers.
You’ve said orchids feel like “beings from another realm, strange and divine.” What about them made you want to build a whole show around that feeling?
Youngs: I was initially drawn to orchids for their whimsical shapes, vivid colors and intricate patterns. I fell in love with them after visiting the 2023 Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden, curated by Lily Kwong. The orchids felt surreal, as if they teetered between plant, creature and dream. That experience stayed with me, and I wanted to channel that energy into a body of work that explored their otherworldly presence.
"I’m not trying to copy what I see—I’m trying to translate the energy the flower gives off."
In your own words, these paintings aren’t about what flowers look like but how they feel. What does that mean when you’re in the middle of painting? How do you know when a feeling is coming through?
Youngs: It means I’m not trying to copy what I see—I’m trying to translate the energy the flower gives off. When I’m painting, I’m thinking about movement, rhythm and emotion. The curve of a petal or the intensity of a color can feel like a vibration or a pulse, almost like the flower is radiating. The spots and patterns lead your eye in unexpected directions, giving the piece movement and depth. Knowing a feeling is coming through is intuitive and is just a gut sense that things are working together in the right way. Having an understanding of the orchid itself, the painting still begins to shift and move beyond just shapes and colors into a space that feels alive with its own energy.
You describe your work as a “visual refuge” and “a space to find balance, beauty and a moment of introspection.” What helps you feel grounded before you start painting?
Youngs: Before I start painting, I have a few simple rituals so I can focus and get into the flow. I prep meals for the day so I don’t have to stop and go out, check my emails to get work-related stuff out of the way, and put my phone on Do Not Disturb. That’s about it!
You live in Brooklyn, but your paintings often feel like quiet, natural places. Does painting help you escape the pace of New York?
Youngs: Definitely. Living in Brooklyn means being surrounded by constant energy and noise, so painting becomes my way to slow down and find quiet. When I’m working, it feels very meditative and like an escape from the city’s pace. It’s like creating my own little refuge where I can breathe and reflect. It’s quite therapeutic!
In “Orchid Fever,” you’re shifting orchids away from symbolism or realism and into something more like a portal. Did something shift in how you paint?
Youngs: Yes, the painting process became less about depiction and more about evoking a feeling or atmosphere, like inviting the viewer to step into a dream or an alternate dimension. This gave me the freedom to experiment with color, form and pattern more expressively. My paintings also became less hard-edged, and a bit softer and more fluid. I wanted to explore orchids on a deeper level, lean into their weird vibe, and not depict them the way we’ve all seen them before.
You said this series channels the energy and movement of orchids rather than their physical form. Did that change how you thought about composition?
Youngs: Absolutely. This is a completely new style and approach to composition for me. It’s as nerve-wracking as it is fun. I spent a lot of time studying images of orchids I’ve taken or collected, really zooming in on the details. From there, I’d move their shapes and colors around, twisting, stretching and exploring their forms in a more fluid, imaginative way.
Is there a painting in “Orchid Fever” that feels especially close to you, and why?
Youngs: There’s one called Orchid Juice that feels especially close to me. When I created the mock-up and then the sketch, I felt like I was finally expressing something I’d been trying to get out for years. It all started coming together. It’s hard to explain exactly why, but for me, it’s about how the colors, forms and movement work perfectly together. I’m really proud of that piece.
"I want people to smile and get lost in the work, to be in the moment."
Your work invites viewers to pause. How do you want people to feel when they step into the gallery to see the show?
Youngs: I want people to smile and get lost in the work, to be in the moment. Like they’ve fallen down the rabbit hole, but in a good way.
“Orchid Fever” is on view at 5-50 Gallery in Long Island City, Queens, from June 14 through July 20.
