ARTIST STATEMENT
My creative process is driven by an intrinsic motivation to explore, discover, and create, culminating in a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I employ a diverse range of materials encountered throughout my practice, including canvas, wood, plastic, cement, glass, jewelry, and mirrors. My toolkit encompasses brushes, oil and acrylic paints, adhesives, heat guns, and carving instruments.
As a self-taught artist, I intentionally experiment with material combinations without predetermined plans, striving to achieve results that are both unexpected and gratifying.
My artistic output draws upon my personal experiences—as a child, wife, mother, and artist—and manifests in subconscious self-portraits that express emotions such as anger, religious conflict, disillusionment, resistance, resolve, self-confidence, playfulness, hope, and joy. I consider a piece complete when a clear sense of resolution and mutual understanding between myself and the artwork has been achieved.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jennifer Taylor was born in Paris, France, to a French mother and an American father who served in the Navy. She spent her formative years in northern Wisconsin. With a degree in Theatre Arts her acting career includes appearances on stage, in commercials, films, and television. In 1983, while residing in New York, Ms. Taylor began drawing after receiving a sketch pad and oil pastels from her husband. Subsequently, upon moving to Los Angeles, she transitioned to painting with oil on canvas.
After the birth of their son, they relocated to Chicago in 1990. Following the arrival of their daughter Lily, they moved to Riverside, Illinois, where they established the Riverside Arts Center.
In 2015, they moved to Gary, Indiana, attracted by the dunes and the community. In 2019, Jennifer acquired an abandoned house and adjacent lot, transforming them into a studio/public garden. The house was painted fuchsia and adorned with reflective materials, donated by friends and community members.
The SPARKLE HOUSE currently serves as a venue for events and plans to establish a weekly retreat space. The public garden features walls constructed from wine bottles, a greenhouse fashioned from repurposed windows, numerous sculptures, and Jennifer Taylor’s private backyard studio/gallery.
© Jennifer Taylor