Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Wilson.
Hi Taylor, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, both my parents were artists. My dad would airbrush paintings onto our basement walls, and my mom was a lead singer in a band. So I was always surrounded by creativity, but I didn’t start taking art seriously until high school. I decided to take more art classes like drawing and pottery, which made me realize I wanted to be an artist. My freshman year of college at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, in Old Lyme, CT, was where I started to use paint and sculpture as my medium instead of drawing.
In my sophomore year, I transferred to Savannah College of Art and Design, which allowed me to dive into deeper topics within my paintings and other artistic practices like digital art, photography, and modeling. In September 2021, I got the opportunity to complete my first mural on a 20 ft. ceiling and outdoor panels at 0 Degree Thai Ice Cream in West Hartford, Connecticut, which was super exciting. Today, I’m a senior at SCAD, about to graduate in the spring. My work has evolved into investigating the intersectionality of my identity — being chronically ill and a woman in the LGBTQ+ community.
My current body of work, titled “Queer Identity”, displays queer self-expression within the LGBTQ+ community. I recently showcased these works at my first four-person exhibition, Chroma Collage, at Bull Street LightRoom. The event was an outlet where I could share my own and others’ experiences of being queer and non-binary. Moving forward, I’d like to continue this theme within my work and continue creating large-scale murals.
My goal one day is to have my work in private collections, galleries, and museums.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road hasn’t always been the smoothest. Dealing with a chronic illness in my daily life and balancing school and work can be a lot. Also, I have anxiety and depression that can come with a chronic illness, which can make it difficult to stay positive and motivated.
But I’ve persevered through my toughest personal challenges, which has only made me stronger.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make medium-to-large scale paintings with acrylic or oil paint. Most of my paintings involve portraiture or the human figure, but I also dabble in abstract painting, where I stain the canvas.
I’m known for painting with lots of saturated colors. Specifically, in my Queer Identity series, I use various shades of reds, yellows, blues, and greens as skin tones. Working with an extensive color palette has helped me improve my paintings. I’m really proud of this series since it’s very personal to me. All the subjects are my queer friends from SCAD, so it was important they chose how they wanted to be portrayed.
My only instruction for them was to dress how they express their identity, then I would photograph them or they would send me images. My goal with the work is to show viewers that there isn’t just one way to express yourself in the LGBTQ+ community. I think my work stands out because I’m super passionate about painting and giving underrepresented people a platform through my art.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I think everyone defines success differently, but for me, it’s all about finding what makes you happiest. If you fail, you get back up and keep trying to achieve your goals. At the very least, you’re giving it your all and pursuing what you’re passionate about.
Pricing:
- Cece (they/them) Acrylic on canvas 20” x 24” 2022 $800
- Ari (they/them) Acrylic on canvas 20” x 24” 2021 $800
- Myles (they/them) Acrylic on canvas 14 x 14” 2022 $200
Contact Info:
- Email: taylorwilsonart@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.taylorwilson.art/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorpaintz
