Showcasing Peter Taylor original paintings
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About Me
My Background
I have always loved art and design from a young age. From drawing endless beach/surf scenes and cartoons in my teens, to painting Australian landscapes in oils influenced by the Australian masters Tom Roberts and Sir Arthur Streeton.
After high school I attended the National Art School in East Sydney and it was there that I was encouraged to express myself more and to move out of the realistic restrained landscapes I had been creating. I had always loved the grand 20th Masters and I was now heavily influenced by the colour palettes and compositions of Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh and Monet.
My direction moved away from fine art and original paintings into graphic design as making a living took priority. My energies were put into magazine design where I spent the next 10 years, it was a very rewarding and enjoyable time. The next 15 years were spent working for printing companies using my design and colour experience, but it wasn't inspiring or as fulfilling as I'd hope for.
So this brings me to the now where I have gone back to my first love of painting, abstract art and design. The passion is back and the creative juices are flowing once again. The current modernistic/abstract genre is different to the classic landscapes of my early days but still just as inspiring. I feel like a true artist again and the future is exciting.
My Medium
When creative ideas come to me I like to do rough sketches to keep as reference for when I work on initial designs.
Once I'm ready to begin abstract art design I create the piece on my laptop using Adobe Illustrator. Here I have the flexibility to change/edit works easily and experiment with colour to see what works and what doesn't. I may do up to a dozen different variations over a few days before coming to a final design that I'm happy with. Having a digital copy of the design also helps if anyone wants a printed canvas instead of the original paintings (cost is cheaper).
I then sketch on canvas and begin on the painting. Most works take around 2-4 days, although at times I may be working on multiple paintings as the one time. I use acrylic as my medium as it allows faster drying and I can layer colours more quickly. I also love the vibrancy I can get from my palette which is probably the most important part of many of my works. As an artist I can also be flexible in that I can create to suit your interior, be it larger, smaller or colours to suit specific décor in your home. Feel free to enquire about commission work to suit your needs.
My Inspiration
Colour inspires me, It always has. It evokes feelings, affects our moods and can enlighten us.
I'm influenced by a wide range of artists but if I had to name who are the major influences on myself it would be international artists like Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh, Dali and even Warhol. Also Australian artists Sidney Nolan and even Ken Done in my much younger days have had an influence. I know that covers a very wide range of unique and individual styles but each has had an impact in some way.
The most influential exhibition I saw was probably my very first back in my school days. We saw a 20th Century Masters exhibition at The National Gallery in Canberra and it just blew me away. From then on I just wanted to paint. I never really saw another exhibition to rival my first until I visited Paris in 2018. The galleries their were truly amazing.
I'm grateful that I'm painting again and doing something that I truly I love. I'll continue to express myself through this medium and hope that others can enjoy my work as much as I have loved creating it.