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About
Bernard J Taylor, Artist
While having been involved in graphic
design, photography and other artwork for most of his career, Bernard first
began painting in earnest in 2000. After completing a number of canvases on
his own, he approached Dale Inglis, a lecturer in art in London, England, and
asked him for advice on developing as a painter. Inglis told Bernard that he
already
had an "extraordinary" and unique style and technique of his
own and told him not to seek advice but to develop along his own lines. He
compared Bernard's work with that of Vincent Van Gogh in his "direct
communication with the canvas" and his unique individuality of style.
A year later Bernard was approached
by a group of British artists and asked to join their online internet group, Artists
Against The Dark, which features the work of a number of "The
Hastings Group," established and up-and-coming artists operating in the
south east of England.
After settling in Columbus, Ohio in 2002, Bernard produced a number of new canvases before joining the Worthington
Area Art League.
Bill
Westerman, Artist in
Residence with the US Department of the Interior and two-term president of the
Worthington Area Art League in Columbus, says, "Many of Bernard's
paintings are outstanding. He has an extremely interesting way of presenting
portraits. He has a distinctive style of
his own (which many artists fail to achieve in a lifetime). He has an
excellent way of handling color."
Paul Hammock, Docent at the
Columbus Museum of Art, says: "Bernard has drawn together a lot
interesting modern elements to create a unique style, defying traditional
concepts of depth and perspective and creating visual violence."
The term "visual violence",
he explains, was originally applied to the works of Cezanne to describe
the way they "assaulted the senses". Among the elements he sees
combined in Bernard’s works are
Fauvism, German Expressionism and early Pointillism.
Recently, after reviewing his
latest portfolio Dale Inglis
told Bernard, "You
appear to have been incredibly prolific. The work is assured and the ideas
fully realised. You have found a way of working that is coherent and
instantly recognizable. The broken colour glows and vibrates. I
find the landscapes in particular very convincing. The light is lively
and impressionistic yet the compositions have a compelling monumental
gravitas. I am impressed."
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