Katherine Taylor: ARTic Creatures

October 24, 2019 – January 10, 2020

Skoto Gallery is pleased to present ARTic Creatures, a selection of newnsculptures and drawings by the American-born artist Katherine Taylor. This isnthe third solo exhibition by the artist at the gallery. The receptionnis on Thursday, October 24th, 6-8 pm.

Thenvisual imagery that Katherine Taylor (KT) utilizes in her recent sculpturenstems from a long evolution of methods, materials and subjects that havenprecedents in her earlier work in sculpture and drawings. A prolific artist,nshe has for almost two decades consistently remained true to an artistic visionnthat is firmly rooted in the fissure between the natural world and the world ofnthe imagination. She attaches great importance to thenprocess of art-making and to the way this process and the logic of her materialnitself dictates the outcome of her artistic endeavors. The tactility shenmanages to convey is deeply moving and encourages us to deepen ournconsciousness of perception.

This show is inspired bynKT’s 2018 residency with the Arctic Circle Program in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard,nwhich brings together international artists, scientists, architects, andneducators to learn and collaborate in the field; her time with Project Puffin,na volunteer effort of the National Audubon Society to restore nesting groundsnto the puffins of Maine; and her examination of specimens at the AmericannMuseum of Natural History.

KT?s sculpturensparks critical engagement with the public due to her ability to createnengaging work that celebrates the intricacies and beauty of the natural world.nTo the artist, art must engage individuals in a very deep and personal way, andnin ways that may not be shared by every member of the society, art also cannforge common bonds among various groups and since the creative process isnalways a collaboration of some kind or another, it strives to create somethingnthat matters not only to oneself, but to others as well. Her work emphasizes profound engagement of thenobject with the viewer in time.

nKT is an artist who divides her time betweennTexas, the Adirondack Mountains, and northern Spain, where her foundry, AlfanArte, is located. KT’s sculptures start in the outdoors and draw on thenmateriality of the landscape. She travels up mountains, across water, and intonthe woods to collect molds of natural textures. She then returns to her studionto piece together the textures she has collected in order to create hernzoomorphic creatures. Her work is symbolic of how we interact with nature,nfostering an appreciation and respect for its beauty and the wonder itnprovokes. 
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