Sallie Taylor
It is the marriage of soul with Nature that makes the intellect fruitful, and gives birth to imagination. – Henry David Thoreau
Sallie Taylor, artist, creator of the aesthetic, is drawn to Nature: the rustle of leaves, the symphony of a brook, lyrics of bird songs, the stillness of forest, and the view of Blue Spaces like creeks, waterfalls, oceans, and rain.
To her, the wild is as sweet as petrichor and as warming as a dog’s wagging tail. These are the images, sounds, scents, and feelings (both physical and emotional) that move her, inspire her, and drive her to remind us of the beauty and vulnerability of our planet. She knows these things for Art is in her every atom.
Sallie shares a quote of Sufi mystic Llewellun Vaughn Lee. He said, “We still carry this primal relationship to the Earth within our consciousness even if we have long forgotten it. It is primal recognition of the wonder, beauty, divine nature of the Earth.”
Sallie accepted this calling to connection, to Earth, to environs, and to her gift of creation. She has produced nine (so far) collections, all of which have impacted areas throughout the South and beyond. They are: the Tower Scenes, Spaces in Nature, Transformational Series, Architecture, Bridges, Eggs, Clouds, Musical Instruments, and the Various.
Her process is best represented by her own words: “I work in oils because of the fluidity, flexibility and luminosity of the medium. The finished works are composed of many layers of paint, scumbling and glazing. Although my style is somewhat realistic, I choose to change fine detail so that the subject becomes more surreal. The references for my work include drawings and photographs of places or objects that I encounter that provoke an emotional and visual connection. I often find that in process of painting, I stand back, see and say, ‘Oh, this is what this is about.’ It is a process like a dream interpretation. I am drawn to my experience of my connection to a benevolent and intelligent Universe.
“Every morning of late,” she says, “I tell my current painting, ‘I love you.’”
Can paint on canvas have a soul, and can we commune with it?
Why not? Mona Lisa has engaged in colloquy for centuries. And Sallie has an ongoing conversation with her own work, for she’s fluent in the ancient language of Art.
To know more about Sallie’s latest creations, visit sallietaylorart.com. You can text her at (828) 506-7025.
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