David Taylor’s Journey in Art

My journey in art goes back to childhood days. I still remember doing a drawing of the dentist drilling my teeth; this was around 9 or 10 years of age. A few years later, in primary school I drew some of the students. I loved drawing and it was a special means of saving images that were important memories. I was fortunate to experience the beauty of vision; it stays with me to this day.

I worked in colour etching for a number of years , and learnt all about colour, colour reproduction, lino cutting, hand engraving, colour proofing, and offset lithography, before computers and technology took over. I worked shift work so I could paint and would paint through until the early hours of morning.

I loved nature as a teacher and would go out painting from life whenever possible. I was inspired by the light and colour found in nature. I painted in oils, and later up to this day in the medium of water colour as an impressionist painter, painting all subjects, landscape, seascape and figures and portraits.

My first solo exhibition was at the Victorian Artists Society in 1975. As time went on I received many major awards and exhibited in many galleries. I was able to share my love of this beautiful medium to many other lovers of nature, both in Australia and many countries world wide which still continues to this day.

It is a rewarding journey and always exciting in catching those special moments that stay with us for always. Travelling and painting has provided so many stories, I remember so many paintings were achieved in strange circumstances . Like being so engrossed in painting the sea that I didn’t feel the water lapping around my legs till the splash hit the paper, salt water did the trick . Painting under stairwells with icicles dripping on the paper creating so much interest. Painting stormy weather and finding you didn’t always have the umbrella but still got the rainy effect just in time.

So involved with the vision of inspiration that you didn’t realise the power of the hot sun till you looked in the mirror later and saw the face glowing like a furnace.

It was special times for Diana and I sharing 18 years running workshops in the Yarra valley and also running studio exhibitions. We now live on Phillip Island and have been there for about 11 years. I continue to capture and share the adventures of impressionism with artists and students in our studio gallery and surrounds in addition to supporting our great community here on the island. Recently I have been painting in Tasmania, Phillip Island, and Central Australia. On October 15th this year I will be tutoring in the Flinders Ranges with the Travelrite company.

I will enjoy meeting up with all who visit this page.

Cheers,
David.