Richard Marcus Taylor

About Artist:

I was born in New York City, March 20th, 1968. I am a classically trained visual artist, having studied drawing and painting at SUNY Purchase and The School of Visual Arts in New York City from 1987-1990. I have always been creative, even as a child, I was a prolific drawer. I grew up surrounded by fine art and artists in New York City in the mid to late 1970's. The walls of the apartment I grew up in Manhattan were always filled with original, abstract paintings and fine art prints. As a child, I enjoyed a large library of art history and painting techniques books which I absorbed over my formative younger years. Growing up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, I was fortunate to be able to visit many New York City Art museums and galleries on a regular basis. My mother, Frances Lassiter, was founder and chairman of the fine arts department of The New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, Long Island. My parents, Norman and Frances Lassiter, produced fine art screen prints for many premiere fine artists of that time and I personally was able to visit artist homes, their studios and galleries as a child. Being able to visit the studios of Jasper Johns, Romare Bearden, Leroy Neiman, Red Grooms and Richard Anuskiezwicz made a powerful and lasting impression upon my outlook on fine art and the fine art process. By the late 80's to early 90's I became interested in exploring video as an artistsic medium. I created video art installations and television Public Service Announcements spots for several non-profit arts organizations in Las Vegas, Nevada in the mid to late '90s. I have won several awards for my video production works. I never stopped thinking about painting but for many years, I left painting aside to pursue my interest in video and television production. I found it important to explore alternative art mediums besides painting and as such, I have enjoyed a long career in the television industry as a broadcast technician. In 2009, I returned to painting and have worked very hard to quickly mature my painting technique into a "signature style". Heavily inspired and influenced by Rothko's color field paintings, I consider my paintings to be "Rothko Revival" works. Since Rothko died in 1970, I feel it is appropriate to re-explore this beautiful painting style and be able to enjoy viewing and experiencing this type of work in person, as most original Rothkos are in the select enclaves of museums and private collections. I only hope to approach the emotional impact of Rothko's original works. I give all the credit to Mark Rothko for any appreciation of my work. In fact, I hope that my paintings will invigorate interest in Rothko's work for a new generation of artists and patrons of the arts.

About Artwork:

I free myself the conventions of nomenclarure, subject matter and composition to experience the raw extacy of color. The visceral impact of color and composition are paramount in my work. I will think about a composition for a long time before I execute it. Then I want it to look random and indiscriminate, even though it is actually a very controlled process. I paint multiple glazes using oil colors and solvent. This builds up a complex, deep and diaphanous texture of color. I enjoy how many wonderful things happen with many layers of color, evoking an emotional response. I seek to create an intimacy between the canvas and the viewer. My goal is to achieve a sublime, etherial, intimate, transcendental experience between the viewer and the canvas. As my canvases have grown in size, the viewer becomes increasingly immersed into the fields of pure color. I hope to achieve an experience that goes a bit beyond the typical art gallery/art viewer, one that borders upon a trancendental/emotional experience, this is what I hope to achieve through my paintings. I work on only one canvas at the same time, gazing into each painting for many hours in between each layer of color as it dries and carefully plan and proceed to the next. The painting process is very personal and intimate. I have discovered that I achieve very satifying results painting in this process. I enjoy the flow and consistency of the paint and how it flows from the brush. I explore the beauty that many translucent layers of oil colors can produce. I have simplified my painting style to maximize my exploration of color and form. This relieves the necessity for creating a narritive to motivate the paint. I believe color and form is enough motivation all its' own. It's just fine to enjoy looking at paint just for being only paint and nothing more. I do not fear my work as being "decorative" or "pretty". I am interested in invesigating a pleasing visual aesthitic. An appreciation of a work of art is a reward all its' own. WIth much trial and error, I have refined the materials and methods to create my color field works. My work has very strong influences from Rothko and recreating his painting techniques is a very personal and emotional exploration of the fine art process for me. As I have discovered, Rothko and I acheive very similar results but from slightly different painting methods. I have tapped into the same physical painting speed and motions in the application of glazes as Rothko. My results, especially with my most recent works, speaks for itself.