Classicist gone Visionary
"My work at it's best, captures a place in creation itself. A place where things are still in flux and have yet to be completely defined or solidified; leaving organic images that are in constant fluid motion, each part exuding the next stage in an abstract vision."
– Noel Taylor
“Noel’s art can be described as an organic expressionist art. It’s surreal abstract and alien, yet somehow familiar.”
Studying the Classics and starting out as a realist painter, I became delighted and intrigued by the art of the 16th and 17th century Dutch masters and their mastery of creating the illusion of back-lighting in their paintings. I was also captivated by Rembrandt's depiction of direct light on the subject in his paintings. This appreciation lead me to seek out great painters and teachers like David Leffel.
At one point, after years of traditional oil painting, I felt the need to no longer be constrained by style or content and began experimenting. My personal life and spiritual life were expanding with revelation, and my art demanded that I include these experiences. Upon seeing the works of Robert Venosa, I realized I wasn’t alone in this expanded view. Studying and painting with him, I realized styles “I had self-discovered” were similar in many ways to styles he had mastered. Integrating Venosas methods and techniques with my own experimentation led to a doorway that is still opening to my artistic discovery.
“Noel’s art evokes a feeling that we are being given a glimpse at other dimensions and of pure creation in the process of manifestation.”
Having moved through the stages of painting from life "that which is seen by the eye", to painting from concept "that which is seen by the mind", I now paint in an almost “automatic” painting style, trying to leave my mind completely out of the process. The feeling is as if I am observing myself and my technical skills being used to present something being gifted me from a higher source, resulting in paintings that could not have been conceived by the mind and which leave me, upon observing, amazed and in wonderment. This evokes deep emotions as I feel humility and gratitude, and know that I am blessed to be a part of this process.
It is interesting that after having painted so long in an ala prima style of painting using thick impasto, I now find myself painting predominantly in a technique similar to mischtechnik using multiple layers of thin glazes of transparent color, but with no under painting. I am fascinated by how the eye mixes reflected light through the layers of different colors.
“Noel Taylor has studied the classics, sought out great teachers, spent years as a highly collectible artist in traditional oil paintings, to come to an extreme turning point in his life to be now creating these illusionary, metarealistic, just wondrous paintings that seem to capture a moment of movement within an alien realm!”
Bio:
My preferred way of learning has always been to work directly with a great artist whose work deeply inspires me. I have had the opportunity to train and paint with Robert Venosa, Martina Hoffman, David Leffel, Quang Ho and Daniel Sprick. I also studied art at the Ringling School of Art and Design, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University, and the Art Student’s League in both New York City & Denver.
I have been fortunate to have mentored other artists on their path to self discovery. I developed an Art Therapy program working one and one and in groups with people with Developmental Disabilities and Alzheimer's.
