April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
MIXED MEDIA
Catholic artist works on canvas and in court
Three decades later, his work lives in books and magazines, museums and galleries, posters for regional and national theatre and other advertisements in a variety of media.
It hangs permanently in the New York State Attorney General's Office, decorates Samuel Adams beer bottle labels, comes to life in web commercials for Ralph Lauren clothing and illustrates high-profile criminal and civil court cases.
Mr. Taylor's illustrations grace a 36-foot-long memorial mural at The University at Albany, six books in an "American Girl" series and a linen montage of a retired board chairman at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy.
Recognition of his name even extends beyond the U.S.: He's been commissioned by an international corporation in Japan and a ferry company in Helsinki.
Cathedral image
A parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Delmar, Mr. Taylor has also spotted his illustration of Albany's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in promotional materials for the cathedral.
He painted the original watercolor in 1991 to adorn the program cover at his wedding and gave the finished product to the then-rector. Diocesan offices use it on development materials and worship aides.
"It just started showing up in everything," he noted.
As a child in the Waterford-Halfmoon school district, Mr. Taylor loved art so much that his teacher created courses just for him during his senior year.
"It's all I've ever wanted to do," he said.
After attending Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake and the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University in Boston, Mr. Taylor spent the earlier part of his career illustrating for newspapers in Troy and California and a small ad agency in Albany.
By 1980, he decided to become a freelance artist, opening him up to a wider array of subjects and clients. It's hard for him to choose favorites among his works, but his favorite styles are maritime, equine, landscapes and portraits.
One recent favorite project was the Ralph Lauren internet video, which combined live action video of children and hundreds of Mr. Taylor's watercolors.
"It was so much fun to see these kids running around essentially in my storybook," the artist said.
Beer, boats and Broadway
Mr. Taylor also enjoys working with the beer company. His sketches of a goat, a lion and a castle, among others, were digitized and incorporated into designs on labels and boxes for a product line mimicking beers brewed in 18th-century Russia.
He's producing other renderings for Samuel Adams beer, too: "I'm just having a whale of a time working on that," he said.
Another favorite was a 15-painting series documenting the construction of a new schooner, "America." The original schooner won the first America's Cup yacht race in 1851. Mr. Taylor also completed series on wooden boats and traditional Irish sailboats.
His commissioned portraits have represented Broadway plays, including one by Neil Simon, as well as shows for the now-defunct New York State Theatre Institute and other regional theater groups across the country.
Art on trial
His recent work as a courtroom artist - covering trials ranging from that of Joseph Bruno, the former top Republican in New York State, to Steven Raucci, former head of facilities for the Schenectady City School District - has been a welcome change.
During such trials, "I have to draw as fast as I can," Mr. Taylor explained. "The process is interesting - working with camera crews and reporters."
For Mr. Bruno's trial, Mr. Taylor drew six to eight sketches a day for a pool of television stations to film and use in their broadcasts.
"I find it very exhilarating," the artist said. "Instead of working in the studio at my own pace, I'm 'on.'"[[In-content Ad]]
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