miketaylor.ca

Mike Taylor’s air force pilot father was stationed in Whitehorse, Yukon when Mike was born in October of 1955. After Mike’s first brother was born, about a year and-a-half later, the family moved across the country to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where another brother showed up. More moving around brought another brother into the fold in Clinton, Ontario. Eventually, the only sister Mike would know was born surrounded by the rock of Sudbury.

Mike’s interest in art goes back to his childhood. He remembers watching television artist Jon Gnagy demonstrate his drawing technique when Mike was only four years old. The young Mike was impressed with the marks laid down by the artist and this television show probably contributed to Mike’s belief that he could someday become an artist if he so chose.

Picking up extra art courses throughout high school gave Mike more practice with various media. A school senior art award by twelfth grade gave more encouragement to the young Mike.

A year at The Ontario College of Art in Toronto was followed by almost twenty years of working in various fields and living in different parts of the country. Edmonton, Winnipeg, Yellowknife, Toronto and Montreal were all called home at one time or another.

During these years Mike painted ocassionally, but mainly dreamed of having the time to really concentrate on improving his basic skills.

After moving to Ottawa from Edmonton in 1996, Mike stayed home to raise his son. As his son got older and entered his school years, Mike began to work again. Doing mostly odd jobs — through friends — on a part-time basis, Mike was able to be home when his son returned from school.

The new year of 2004 brought Mike to a turning point in his life. Now middle-aged, it was time to either grab a hold of the old dream of becoming an artist, or … ? Not liking the second option, Mike joined a couple of arts organizations. One of those was Arteast.

Mike was eager to begin working seriously at his art. The time needed would have to be carved from whatever time there was. Upon joining Arteast, Mike found he had five days before the jury for “Refuge”, the group show at the Gloucester Gallery, would be held. Mike scrambled and finished a painting in time. It was accepted into the show — his first group exhibition.

In short order Mike took on the position of volunteer coordinator for the two annual Arteast shows at the Gloucester Gallery. Due to City of Ottawa rules, Mike had to give up the coordinator post in the spring of 2006 when he accepted the position of Gallery Coordinator of the Gloucester and Cumberland Galleries run by the City of Ottawa at 255 Centrum Blvd, in Orléans.

Mike’s love of the natural world comes through in his work. With more experience, his work is moving away from the more literal interpretations he started with. He is constantly trying to do something new. He works with a “what-if” approach, as in “what if I try this colour?” or “what if I turn this form upside down?” or “what if I just paint the whole thing over and start again?”

He enjoys coming up with new environments or familiar environments experienced from different points of view. This approach could be an unexpected result of all of the moves he has made around the country. He is able to see more than one side to any story.

Most paintings begin their lives as broad washes of acrylic colour. More colour and toning is added until the painting develops a personality and suggests a direction for the artist to follow. Rather than beginning with an idea, Taylor’s work evolves through chaos until a conceptual focus is reached.

His influences are many, but a strong association with western art of the first half of the last century provides the foundation for Mike’s vision. Subject matter could range from rocks and trees to people to basic celebrations of form and colour. Humour is never far away from his work as titles such as Prairie Mary, Hoo-Diddly-Doo and My Boy CatBoy prove.

Mike has experience teaching drawing to kids, but these days he lets the child in him come out in his drawings.

His current work is mainly abstract, but a form of surrealism is in play as well. Not one to be pinned down stylistically for long, Mike Taylor will continue to search for that hidden trail over the rocks, behind the trees, and over the sunsets he loves most dearly.

Exhibitions
2007

• Dreaming in Colour Arteast juried group show, Gloucester Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• Selections ‘07 Juried Arts Ottawa East group show at Cumberland & Gloucester Galleries Orléans, Ontario

• Guilty Pleasures Juried Arteast group show at Gloucester Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• Crisis? What crisis? Solo show, Electric Gallery Co-op, Ottawa, Ontario

2006

• Group show, Gallery 7A, Ottawa, Ontario

• Black, White and In-Between Juried Arteast group show at Gloucester Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• BLAST! Juried Arteast group show at Gloucester Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• Selections ‘06 Juried Arts Ottawa East group show at Cumberland & Gloucester Galleries Orléans, Ontario

• Group shows, Rothwell Hauk Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario

2005

• Rites of Spring Juried Arteast group show at Gloucester Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• Selections ‘05 Juried Arts Ottawa East group show at Cumberland Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• Arts Ottawa East’s Luncheon for the Arts, Pine View Municipal Golf Club, Ottawa, Ontario

• Group shows, Rothwell Hauk Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario

2004

• Refuge Arteast juried group show at Gloucester Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• Gloucester Arts Council’s Luncheon for the Arts, Pine View Municipal Golf Club, Ottawa, Ontario

• Travel Treasures Arteast juried group show at Gloucester Gallery, Orléans, Ontario

• Two-person exhibit, Blackburn Hamlet Library, Ottawa, Ontario

• C.S. Co-op Bank branches group exhibits

• Arteast Show and Sale, Blackburn Community Hall, Ottawa, Ontario

Mike is available on the Web at http://www.miketaylor.ca.

E-mail painter@miketaylor.ca