Marion E Taylor has lived and worked as an artist in Penwith for 30 years. Her practice over that time has included painting, drawing, printing, photopaintings, 3D installation and site-specific work. It is often a material-based process, or combination of processes, that stimulates her explorations, but the approach is conceptual. For example, some of the series of paintings and drawings were generated by combining the use of loose graphite powder and oil paint, or another by layering her photographs with oil paint. She then pursues the personal language that emerges from these developments. The imagery holds many contrasts and contradictions – dark / light, real / surreal, observed / imagined, representational / abstracted – and in this way questions ideas around these conventions. The concepts are often based around the threats that our consumer society poses for the planet. Taylor works from one of the Porthmeor Studios in St. Ives, has exhibited widely in the UK and is a highly respected figure in West Cornwall’s Art scene. She was chair of Newlyn Society of Artists and was very involved with the education programme at Newlyn Gallery and the Exchange. Taylor has given lectures and held seminars at University of Falmouth. She is a course tutor at the School of Painting, based in the same Borlase Smart studios on Porthmeor Beach as her own studio. https://www.schoolofpainting.co.uk/
Photo: Dolly Clew
CV
1948. Born in Manchester
1967. Foundation, Cardiff College of Art
1998. BA Honours Degree, Fine Art, at Falmouth College of Arts
Selected solo and showcase exhibitions
2017. ‘Estuary Skies’ Two person show with Liz Luckwell in the Borlase Smart Gallery, Porthmeor Studios
2016. ‘There and Back Again’ two person show with Kerry Harding at the Penwith Gallery St. Ives
2015. ‘Limelight’ at the Falmouth Art Gallery and Museum
2013. Solo, Picture Room at Newlyn Gallery
2010. Two-person show, Open Space Gallery, Penryn
2009. Co-curator and exhibitor ‘Reality Check’, Newlyn Gallery
2009. ‘Supernature’, View Gallery, Bristol
2008. The Drawing Show at the Exchange Gallery, Penzance
2006. Inaugural Exhibition, Defined Art, Esher, London
2005. Solo, ‘Idiom’, Lemon Street Gallery, Truro
2003. ‘Weather Report II’, Newlyn Art Gallery, co-curator
2002. Solo, New Millennium Gallery, St. Ives
Selected mixed shows
2018. ’Celebrating 80 Years’ show with the School of Painting at the Penwith Gallery, St. Ives
2014. Penwith Gallery, society Winter Show, St Ives
2013/14. Borlase Smart Room at Porthmeor Studios
2011/12. Ramp Wall at the Exchange Gallery, Penzance
2010. Site-specific work at 75th anniversary of Jubilee Pool, Penzance
2009. ‘A Cornish Perspective’, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2008/9/10. Open Space Gallery, Penryn
2008. Hilton Young Fine Art, ‘Drawing the Line’
2007. Hilton Young Fine Art, Inaugural Show
2004–7. Lemon Street Gallery, Truro, Easter, Summer and Christmas shows
2004–7. Edgar Modern Fine Art, Bath, Easter, Summer and Christmas shows
2007. ‘Lineage’, Newlyn Art Gallery, co-curator
2007. Opening Show at Hilton Young Fine Art
2007. Defined Art, Esher, London
2007. ‘Unquiet Earth’, NSA show in St. Ives, co-curator
2001–5. Critics Choice Exhibitions with NSA, work selected by art critics including Sacha Craddock, Mel Gooding, Nicholas Usherwood
2000–5. Shows with Palp (Penwith Artist Led Projects) Installation, site-specific and travelling shows with PALP ‘Shed’, ‘PALPitations’, ‘Field of Vision’, ‘Wish You Were Here’.
Selected awards, residences, groups
2015. Residency. La Hoya, an Arts/Eco project center in the Almeira Alpine Desert in Andalucia.
2005–09. Chair of NSA.
2008. Successfully applied for funding from the Arts Council to provide a project manager for two years to work on the strategic development of the NSA.
2006. Residency for IN-TRANSIT, Mobile Art Space, directed by Lucy Willow, supported by Penwith District Council, Unltd and Creative Kernow.
2005. Awarded Arts Council England grant for studio time for solo show.
2005. Awarded Creative Skills Development Fund for research trips to London.
2002–2005. Vice Chair and founder member of former artist-led group PALP (Penwith Artist-Led Projects). One of six artists who managed six projects and two national collaborations over the five-year period.
Selected publications
2018. Interview in Stern magazine.
2016. Article by Mercedes Smith in Cornwall Life (June).
2014. The Story of Porthmeor Studios by Marion Whybrow.
2012. St. Ives: The Art Colony and the Community.
2008. Revolver: Art Cornwall by Jesse Leroy Smith and Volker Stox.
2007. St. Ives 1975–2005: Art Colony in Transition by Peter Davis.
2006. Art About St. Ives by Roy Ray, W Gilbert and Colin Orchard.
2002. Making Waves by Tom Cross.
2002. ARTNSA, published by Newlyn Gallery.
Teaching
2002 – 07. Lectures and seminars for Falmouth University
1991 - Present. Tutor at the School of Painting, St. Ives
Photo: Alban Roinard / Currently on show in Tate St. Ives cafe
