Painter brings joy into other people’s lives
[attach]7578[/attach]The first thing you notice about the work of local artist Kate Taylor is her choice of bold and vibrant colours.
Deep magenta and brilliant yellow dominate her artwork. When you talk to her you realize her choice of colours are a natural extension of her personality. She is amazingly upbeat and optimistic about everything in her life.
“I like to think I am bold, open minded and have a talent for bringing some joy into other people’s lives through my work,” Kate said in a recent conversation, her usual high spirits evident.
Kate’s favourite medium is acrylic on birch panels with a resin coating. When you see her choice of subject matter and colour you won’t be surprised to learn that she loves gardening.
When asked about other artists who have inspired her, Kate lists Claude Monet’s garden paintings, the colour palette of Canadian art icon Tom Thompson, American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly and the “palette knife” masterpieces of Canadian artist Jean-Paul Riopelle, the first Canadian to attain widespread international recognition and her biggest inspiration.
“I think my biggest challenge is time!” Kate said with a laugh.
She says she spends 30 hours a week on her Kaleidoscope Marketing business, which specializes in executive events, and another 30 hours on her art.
“It’s really cool to think that someone used their hard-earned money to pay for something I am so passionate about creating,” Kate said. “It may be hanging in their house forever, which feels like a kind of legacy that will live on after I am gone.
“I also take great pleasure in sharing and helping in the art community, and I love being exposed to other artist’s ideas.”
As a fellow artist, I appreciate Kate’s willingness to share her experiences and expertise with other artists and I am always impressed with her constant efforts to look for new opportunities to broaden her audience.
One of her goals is to see her work shown internationally in places like Miami and London.
The North Toronto Group of Artists, of which I am a member, is lucky to have such a creative talent on our executive. She will be part of the NTGA spring studio tour May 3–4.
In the midst of this endless 2014 winter you will find some warmth in Kate’s vibrant images.