Artist Statement
I have always loved plants and the way their organic forms physically embody abstract visual concepts. As an art student, I was inspired by the work of William Morris and the Japanese idea that fine art and craft should be part of everyone’s daily experience; that decoration could be an integral part of functional objects.
I’m indebted to Nan Roche for her insight into the serious artistic capabilities of polymer clay. Kathleen Dustin and Jon Stuart Anderson have given me a level of expressiveness and quality to strive for. I am influenced by the late Jim Rimmer, graphic artist extraordinaire, who I considered a friend and mentor who taught me the value of hard work, craftsmanship, persistence, and focus.
Biography
I have been active in the visual arts since elementary and high school. After earning a BA from UBC and spending seven years teaching in Japan, I returned to British Columbia to study graphic design at Capilano College. I worked as a designer and showed as a botanical watercolour artist before discovering the possibilities of polymer clay in the late 1990s. Since then, I have sold at markets, shows, and stores. In April 2013, I organized an all polymer group show at Seymour Art Gallery. For 17 years, I participated in the Eastside Culture Crawl as a polymer clay artist. From 2014 to the start of the 2020 pandemic, I sold at Granville Island Public Market. Since that time I have sold tutorials and an e-book online and sold my artwork at the Seymour Gallery Shop in North Vancouver and at Niche Gallery on Granville Island.
Website: joantaylerdesign.com
Facebook: facebook.com/JoanTaylerDesign
Instagram: @joantaylerdesign