Sunny Taylor is one of the artists who will be featured this month at the Rio Gallery in Salt Lake City. As a collaboration, several artists have come together to create art around the theme of ‘Articles of Clothing’. We wanted to learn more about Sunny’s work and her part in the exhibition.
What is your involvement in the Articles of Clothing show?
I was invited by Joe Ostraff to participate in this group show. He had a personal interest and was already working on a body of work that dealt with articles of clothing. He then gathered several artists who already used clothing as symbol, metaphor or object in their work. I’m not quite sure how I got to join the club yet, but I was excited about the conceptual and aesthetic challenge of making some works that would fit in.
Why is this show important/meaningful to you?
Since I make relatively labor intensive paintings, I decided to tap more into the idea of labor. Most of us have no connection at all to the processes that makes our clothing. We know nothing about spinning cotton into thread, weaving those fibers, or assembling the parts of our garments together. I wanted to make a painting that would force me to focus intensely on every single line of a woven image. My masking process is time-intensive for any painting, but to create a weave pattern, I put my patience and abilities to the test. After even just a five hour shift in my studio, my back and shoulders would ache, I would be dizzy and have a headache. The monotonous cutting and placing of tape made going to the studio feel like I had a factory job. I dreaded it completely, yet at the same time, I was interested in the newfound sense of empathy and understanding I felt for the countless individuals who work in the textile and clothing industry – especially those who have mind-numbing, monotonous jobs that make our clothes so cheap and accessible.
What is a joyous moment that you’ve experienced recently?
Last week, on a family vacation, I got to take my four-year-old tubing behind a boat for the very first time in her life. When the boat started towing us, and we were bouncing around in the wake, she yelled out “This is like a dream!!!” She is so adventurous, and I absolutely love watching her experience things for the very first time.
Why did you pursue art?
Initially, I chose to pursue art because it was something that came relatively easy for me. I could look at something and recreate it on paper or canvas fairly well. However, I had to come to terms at a certain point with the fact that I didn’t enjoy the process of making representational work at all. I didn’t gain a real passion for making art until several years into college, when I was challenged to be more inventive in my work. I fell in love with the process of starting a work of art with a conceptual or aesthetic problem, and then struggling to solve that problem and discover the work of art that would result. I became absolutely hooked, and couldn’t think of pursuing anything different.
Did you have to give anything up to pursue a career in art?
I don’t think so. It has always just been the thing that made the most sense.
Besides this, what is another hidden talent, passion, or hobby of yours?
I hesitate saying this because between keeping my kids and husband alive, my house relatively intact, and painting as much as possible, I hardly ever make time for hobbies or other talents. But I absolutely love sports. I grew up playing competitive tennis. I played intramural flag football, and ultimate frisbee on a club team during college. I am super competitive, I love to trash talk to make the game more fun, and as soon as the time seems right for my family, this washed up, out of shape mom needs to get back in the game!
Are you close with your family?
If you are referring to my parents and siblings, I’d say we are pretty close. We aren’t a family that talks a lot, so we don’t have daily contact, but we love to get together, and we are pretty easy going and drama free. I am extremely close with my husband and my four and two year old girls. They are the center of my world, and we really like to be with each other.
Animal I Would Want to Be Most:
Maybe a bird? That’s not very creative. Who doesn’t want to fly?
Last Great Book I Read:
I listen to books while I paint. The last one I think was “Unbroken.” Just an epic story.
Favorite Song of All Time:
“Kingdom Come” by Coldplay. Super cheesy – Its mine and my husband’s song. He had our friends sing and play an acoustic version of it for me at our wedding reception. I melted.
My Dream Collaboration:
You’d think I would list a superstar artist, but I’d probably love to collaborate with a custom sign builder. I love the forms and materials of sculptural, custom signs. I would love to learn about laser-cutting steel and plastic, building designs into three dimension, combining materials, and executing ideas on a giant scale. When I dabble in sculpture, my work is always very small. I am so limited in skill, material, tools, and space. Someday, if I somehow land a giant grant for it, I’ll find the best custom sign-builder in the West and see what we can dream up together.
‘Articles of Clothing’ will be featured at the Rio Gallery until August 28th:
You can find more of Sunny’s work here:
Instgram:
@sunnytaylorart
