Sarah Taylor

I grew up in West Cumbria, on the edge of the Lake District National Park. After some time away at art college in the north east of England, University in Nottingham, and work in Austria and the French Alps, I returned to my roots and settled 10 miles from where I grew up, in a small coastal village called St Bees.
I have been working full time as an artist since 2015 when I gave up work as a product manager at Derwent Pencils to focus 100% on my painting activities.
I take inspiration from nature, from colours and shapes and patterns that I see every day. I love tessellation, and repeat patterns that suddenly change. I like unexpected shifts, and clashing colours. I like to lose control with paint splashes and blown layers.
I begin each painting with a light sketch, that I use as a base to start building layers of colour. I dilute acrylic paint & ink to blow different colours around the board to generate the basic form of my subject. Having a fairly loose feel to these layers forces me to let go of having control over how each detail will sit, and I can enjoy letting the piece evolve. Introducing the geometric patterns in stark contrast to fluid marks is my favourite part of the process; all shapes and patterns are drawn fre...

Ba Hons Photography Nottingham Trent University 1995-1998
Foundation in art and design, Cleveland college of Art and Design 1994-95

2019 Upfront Summer exhibition - Upfront Gallery Penrith
2019 Cumbria open Exhibition - Upfront Gallery, Penrith
2018 Beauty in the Beast - Florence Arts Centre, Egremont
2018 Beauty in the Beast - Harbour Gallery Kirkcudbright
2018 Beauty in the Beast - Theatre by the Lake , Keswick
2017 Spotlight on - Viridian Gallery, Keswick
2017 Fantastic Beasts - Lowes Court Gallery, Egremont
2017 Fantastic Beasts & Where i found them - Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
2016 ‘Wonderland’ - Gallery Artemis, Cockermouth
2015 ‘Jazz Cats’ - Theatre by the Lake Keswick