Lori Taylor

Art has been a passion of mine since I was a young child, spurring my choice to become an art teacher so I could share my love of the visual arts with others. I have been an art teacher for the past fifteen years and since 2005 have also been pursuing a career as an oil painter. I received my Masters of Art in Painting from Indiana State University in 2007 and have participated in a variety of gallery shows since then. It is a privilege to now share my oil paintings with the community through the Art IN Hand Gallery.

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The main focus of my work is trees which have been a passion of mine since a childhood spent in the woods. I am intrigued by how they grow, bending and winding, in sometimes unimaginable ways. To me this mimics our lives and how no matter what obstacle or barrier is placed in front of us the human spirit forces us to seek new paths and ways through it. Thus I select trees from life to draw as my focal point and then expand on them with exaggerated colors to represent the various journeys of life. Much like trees, flowers have the ability to hang onto their stem during a storm, or grow in the most dire weather conditions. Their life span is much shorter though. That is why I find such joy and beauty in painting a flower and capturing its spirit on canvas for posterity. Each piece I create is in direct response to experiences in my own life and I hope the viewers are able to find reflections of their own life in them as well. Art is my life, life is my art, and I hope my work has a positive effect on everyone who views it.