For an aspiring artist, I recommend working on your skills as much as possible before trying to say too much with your art. I see young artists trying to make a bold statement in the art world but they don’t have the tools to pull it off in a compelling way.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
As a kid, my early interest in art and landscape painting grew because of my love of camping, hiking, and fly fishing with my dad. Perhaps it's the hunter-gatherer instinct and the desire to explore mountains, rivers, and deserts that cultivate a love of landscapes. I'm always excited to see what's around the river bend, or over the hill.
The colors, textures, smells, and sounds of new places can be enchanting, beautiful, sublime and at times even terrifying. It's an inexhaustible subject, one that will continue to inspire me for the rest of my life. I asked for an oil painting set for Christmas when I was 8. I remember doing a drawing of a horned owl in grade school and remember feeling something special about the experience.
I found oil painting very difficult at first so I enrolled in some art classes studying privately until college. I have a BA and an MFA in Fine Arts. My BA was more of a general art degree where I experimented with many different mediums and styles. During my MFA at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, I was much more focused and decided to concentrate on Plein air painting.
2. What kind of theme inspires you and how would you define your style and aesthetics?
Travell and the outdoors play a key role in my art. I’m an avid Plein air painter and like to paint my subjects from life as often as possible. My style has developed as a result of painting on location with bold juicy brushwork clean color. You only have a couple of hours painting a subject before the light changes so you have to learn how to be decisive.
3. What are the challenges of being an artist and how do you overcome them?
I think too many distractions are my biggest challenge right now. I founded Strada a Plein air painting outdoors equipment company and co-founded Sentient Academy which sometimes takes me away from painting as much as I’d like to.
4. Which is your favorite art movement and why?
My favorite art moment revolves around 19th-century artists like John Singer Sargent, J.M.W. Turner, George Inness, and the California Impressionists. A few modern artists like Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Diebenkorn, and John Berkey have also been a source of inspiration.
5. What message would you give to aspiring artists?
For an aspiring artist, I recommend working on your skills as much as possible before trying to say too much with your art. I see young artists trying to make a bold statement in the art world but they don’t have the tools to pull it off in a compelling way.
6. Which is your favorite book and why?
I’m an avid reader and like to spend time thinking about all kinds of different subjects so picking a favorite book is a tough one. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is certainly up there because of its depth of world-building and iconic characters.
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt is probably one of the more important books I’ve read in a while. I think if everyone sat down and read this well-researched subject I think we’d have more tolerance and understanding of the world.
A painter, lecturer, entrepreneur, and world traveler Bryan Mark Taylor is a true renaissance man. As a painter, Bryan has won numerous top awards in national and international shows including 2nd place in the 2018 ARC Salon and his work has been shown in museums across the world. He has been regularly featured in Fine Art Connoisseur, Plein Air, Southwest Art, American Art Collector, Imagine FX, and American Artist Workshop magazines.
Bryan has had many successful one-man shows and won a gold medal at the California Art Club’s annual show. Bryan is currently represented by galleries in California and Utah and his work is found in private, corporate, and museum collections around the world.
Bryan is a sought-after teacher and lecturer and has taught courses around the country including the Academy of Art University, Pixar, and the Scottsdale Artists School. Bryan has been a featured speaker at the 2012-2016 Plein Air Conventions, CTNX, and the Fantastic Arts Conference.
As a product designer, Bryan has developed a premier outdoor painting system called the STRADA Easel which is used by Plein Air artists worldwide.
Bryan has traveled around the globe carefully observing and capturing nature’s everyday miracles. Bryan was born in Portland, Oregon. He received his BA from Brigham Young University in 2001 and his MFA from the Academy of Art University in 2005. He currently lives with his wife and four children in Alpine, Utah.
Interviewed By - Anshika Maurya
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