IN CONVERSATION
A full-time artist for over a decade and former president of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, Malcolm Taylor’s eclectic style has become increasingly distinctive. His mission is to capture the characteristics of a subject rather than reproduce a likeness. Inspiration is drawn from many sources but particularly from images gathered from his travels around the UK, especially St Ives in Cornwall.
‘Many of my paintings come from observing shapes within the landscape and seeing how these can progress towards an abstract image. Themes repeatedly crop up, such as abstract marine paintings; a feature of my recent work.’ Working in mixed media and experimenting with different mediums gives Malcolm the freedom to break the rules and avoid the dogma of the purists.
In the early days Malcolm worked in a very tight manner; today he enjoys a much looser approach, working in ahave a fixed image in mind at the outset; he prefers to let the imagery evolve naturally through the process of painting. He keeps an open mind, feeling his way through a painting, letting the painting develop freely until he arrives at a composition that pleases and has a certain balance. ‘In pursuit of a spontaneous and lively painting, texture is essential. I use lines, shapes and colour, bringing together a variety of media to stimulate the viewer.
