Artist Interview with Austyn Taylor

ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your artwork?

I'm the “first born yankee” of USA southerners who moved to New York state. For now, I live in the absolute beauty of wine country in northern California. I have traveled completing art residencies across the states as well as China, Denmark, Lebanon and Mexico. I care deeply about the human idea of "soul" - lack of it, evidence for it and the failures and triumphs of the human experiment. I believe in a realist optimism, hope and the eventual ability for humanity to see our brotherhood across borders. 

My work is vivid, colorful, innocent, courageous and absurd. I make characters in hand sculpted clay based on animals and people I have encountered. The work acts as a signal- "everything will be ok" like a safe place to wonder about how we even exist as humans in the first place.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What first inspired you to become an artist?

I was born wanting to create a new world. Very early on I was a critic- I thought it was sacrilege that dragons had blunted teeth in children's books. My father, being a glass sculptor and former art professor, instilled the idea that being an artist was not an impossible path. In fact it was presented as something anyone could do if they did it in a "smart" way? It is still an incredibly challenging career to pursue!

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: How has your background shaped your artistic practice? And if not at all, what are the other influences to your work? 

I was raised by my mom with visits to my artist father's home on weekends- "Art" took the place of religion growing up. The hippie/Nietzschean/Campbellian ideal that art could shape the world for the betterment of all is foundational in my blood.

When I was too young dad took me to the Whitney museum in NYC, he did not pay attention to what was showing and I vividly remember the elevator doors opening to an entire floor of grotesque shock art from the 90s. I was quickly pulled out of the gallery and was soon outside listening to a lengthy lecture on the merits of Henry Moore while gazing up at his sculpture on a giant pedestal outside the museum.

Seeing how unsettling the fine art world was, I turned away and found a home within my characters and drawing addiction. It wasn't till years later that I dove back into studying what exactly was going on in the high contemporary art world.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: How has your creative process and artwork changed over the years?

I was hooked on drawing for years. This has always been a private practice for me. I went to RIT for illustration and minored in philosophy. I never got the good juice for painting with soul that my drawings have. I stayed on for a masters in teaching. I moved to Denver, CO and got a middle school art teaching gig at 22yrs old. When I arrived the room was trashed- full of hoarded supplies from the previous teacher who quit the first week of school. Amongst the egg cartons and brick-a-brack I discovered an entire wall of boxes of clay. I hadn't really used the stuff before.  I started teaching the students clay pinch pots and all 150 of them a day were happy. I decided this was the best solution for classroom management. The kids would always say "Miss Taylor you should be an artist!" and eventually I replied "You're right!" and I quit. haha

When I started I wasn't great at sculpting but was good at drawing so I drew with pencil over the surface of bisque fired ceramic. This is a very tedious and time consuming process, hundreds of hours and boxes of ebony pencils. That portfolio got me into USA's #1 grad school Alfred University. I knew almost nothing about the clay world. From my degree I began an 8 year journey traveling from art residency to art residency continuously until everything great happened after the plague- I was given a solo show in Beirut with AOUT gallery and that led to shows in Hong Kong, Paris, Seoul, Salzburg, Taipei, London, Los Angeles, NYC, Tokyo etc.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Are there any particular artists or movements that have greatly influenced your work? In what way?

I love ancient artworks from all over the globe- specifically the ones made in clay from Mesopotamia bulls, Japanese Jōmon figures, Central American Jagaurs, Venus figures in Europe and Benin leopards etc. I feel like clay connects all humans everywhere, at the very least we all walk on earth so using earth as art makes sense. These unnamed artists producing what was natural to their culture and time frame fascinate me.

I've been suspicious of a lot of the established art world stables but when I see passion anywhere it moves me- Van Gogh loved that paint, Francis Bacon thrashed that work! At a very high end art can feel cruelly detached and the low in is so embedded it seems to smother. I'm inspired by those that can balance. Art that can intelligently reach a range of people and meet them where they are at- leaving an uplifted world view and integrity. Artists working between craft, design and fine art interest me, artists that work with the idea of the lived human life being the front stage for integration with the art: François-Xavier Lalanne, Antoine-Louis Barye, Nicola Hicks and Doug Herren. Also as far as corralling the works into reliable character worlds-aspirationally looking to the of Otani Workshop, Joakim Ojanen, Klara Kristalova, Eni Iwamura and Sergei Isupov.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  How did you arrive at your style? What can you tell us about your individual style and visual language?

Obsession for years. I believe the word "sublimation" was told to me by a doctor once. I am too sensitive for this cruel world, so I make art. By luck and fate I can draw and now sculpt my way to a kind world. 

I used to make unsettling drawings but would also have some friendly characters to balance it out. As a child I developed the world "The Land Bla" with a friend who is now a filmmaker in Berlin, Miranda Siegel. The world had heroic cartoons and dragons versus the evil eyeball covered monsters and the dreaded "Eyeball King".... 

My style now is a quest for the perfect use of negative space. The outside of the sculpture must radiate energies even more than the internal sculpture produces a feeling of safety, care and understanding. I see the characters as carrying sentences in a never ending story. They keep existing like animals that come out to say hello on a hiking trail. 

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  How do you choose what character you will create next?

I have a million characters sketched out that I want to make. I used to try and rush from character to character to give them all the life of being realised in 3D. Right now I am slowing that down to think of the choices more as a "scouting group," working together. Characters that work together and support one another in their different attributes and abilities. It's all positive and negative space and working with the room surrounding the sculpture.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  Please tell us about your latest body of work

3 days ago I had an opening in Tokyo with YOD Editions. I sent out a group of predator and prey animals. A ridiculous bright wide legged orange tiger- mouth open wide hungry/ yelling, a business wolf, blue with a red bowtie- serious, unimpressed, thinking. Amongst the friendly creatures a concerned dog, confident horse, obstinate duck etc. I recently read Robert Sapolsky's book "Determined" about how scientifically speaking there is absolutely no evidence for the existence of "free-will." The book explores the implications of this truth if realised throughout society. You can not blame evil people as much as you can not take too much from your greatest accomplishments. It fits with Daoism. My work presents a truth, we are earthlings too.

ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or projects that you are excited about?

Yes! Next up is Art Gardens in Jakarta, Indonesia with D Gallerie, solo show in Portland at Anter Gallery, ongoing work in San Francisco and secret projects in Los Angeles and Beirut. 

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  What do you think is the most important aspect of creating successful artwork?

Soul. Honesty. Through the artist's pain to see sincere/intelligent beauty and hope. That is my aesthetic, I see tragedy everywhere so whatever island of hope can be scooped from the ashes is welcome to me. In Niestche's "dead god" declaration, was a call to the artists to sooth existential pain and create a world with rings of purpose to swing through.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Could you please describe your process of creating a new artwork from concept to completion for us?

I look at the world, I travel, go to museums/galleries, zoos, trails, cities and visit homes. I make 100s of sketches. I corral 2-7 pieces to work together and exist as ambassadors for the message of hope. I sculpt the work, best with zero music/zero distractions. Carefully the work is dried slowly so as not to crack the clay. The work is brought to the kiln for firing. Typically, pigment is added after firing, then photography. I can spend a little time with the work in my own space before they fly out to complete their missions and find where they belong. The work is complete when someone falls in love.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Please tell us a bit about how the medium influences or supports the ideas behind your work

When I first found clay it was a miracle. I had been dealing with unruly youths and this material solved all problems by creating a novel activity to focus on. As I stated above, clay is fragile yet lasts eons like life on earth. The complexity of life on earth is impossible but also there is so much joy and absurdity- how do you speak to that? I believe clay sculpture does the job.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Are there any techniques you have developed that you use consistently in your artwork?

Handbuilding solid, slab and coil.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Are there any other materials you would like to explore in the future?  

PAINTING! I have battled that dragon for decades. 

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  What has been the most memorable artwork you have created? What makes this piece memorable?

Early in my career -before a career-career, I made a double butt horse- a horse that is standing up on one side and lying down on the other. It was my show pony. I entered it in all kinds of juried shows all over America like 5+ shows. But it wasn't until this wild character popped out of the internet "Matty Mo" appeared that the horse found it's true owner. Sometimes it feels like the collectors are waiting on the other side when pieces are made, like a timeline circle that is just fate.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Can you tell us a bit about a few specific pieces you have created that you are particularly proud of?

Recently I was invited to a residency at Ceramica Suro in Guadalajara, Mexico. I worked on this wonderful tiger 55cm high then 83cm to the tail. I created him in such a way that the tail is detachable. I have been toying with the idea of interchangeable parts for years and they felt like progress. If I can sort through changing the heads and tails it can add a whole new dialog to the story I am telling- like that it is possible to change your mind(the head), to change the narrative(the tale). Also reminds me of a step towards the automata of the middle ages, the glorious 800s with epic works of technology like the "Silver swan", "flute player" and other mechanical automatons within court life.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What themes or topics are you exploring in your current artwork?

I was born for one mission and it's building characters. The life topic is freeing the human race from our closetted animal origins ha. The absurdity of life and getting through it.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: Are there any projects you would like to explore in the future?

Large scale projects. 26 26' tall sculptures in every major world city. Why not? I love the scale of huge works by Stefan Rinck, Kevin Francis Gray, Adam Parker, Takahiro Komuro and Jaime Hayon.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  What do you think is the most important skill a studio artist should have?

Optimistic realism, serious hope for humanity and humility while doing your absolute best.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS: What do you think has been the biggest challenge in your creative career? 

There was a long toil in total obscurity that was rough... without someone real shining a light on you, it can be grim. It is difficult to find great artists and I hope when you come across one you sing their praises! I really like Alexander Deschamps, Hirosuke Yabe, Carlos Jacanamijoy, Shari Mendelson, Megan Ellen, Peter Opheim, Colleen Barry, Fatima de Juan, Jiri Mayer, Kyle Staver, Ryan Travis Christian, Miila Useche and Fernando Tinoco right now... there are so many great living artists though! I have a much bigger list, the readers can message me on instagram if they want. Also I have a giant list of artist residencies happy to share.

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ARTCOLLECTORNEWS:  What advice would you give to aspiring studio artists?

Learn everything you can about the field, ask for help/advice from smart people in the field, work hard everyday like your life depends on it, work smart not hard but also work hard in a smart way? haha

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