Cathy Taylor

www.cathyweavertaylor.com

When did art become a pursuit for you?

I have always played around with art in my spare time, but in 1994 my cut paper collages were published in Spirit of Change magazine. Since then I have worked on many collages, some using transparency, light, and reflection, while also working on recycled assemblages and photography. Recently, my work has included Luminaries in the Library, an installation highlighting the summer and winter solstices at the Acton Memorial Library, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council; a window banner in Light’ N’ Up the Winter Blues at Nine Dot Gallery in Worcester; and displaying one of my luminaries, enlarged, at a yoga studio in Natick. My artwork has been shown at many Worcester and Boston area galleries, most recently in Reclaimed, at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, and in Sensory Play, at the Sprinkler Factory in Worcester. My printed work can be seen at Uni-T at the Natick Mall.

Are you self-taught or formally educated in visual art?

I am self-taught, and took a computer art class at the Worcester Art Museum back in the 90’s. I spend a lot of my free time going to museums and shows to keep up with what is current in international and local art. My favorite museums are out in the Berkshires: MASS MoCA, the Clark, and the Williams College Museum of Art. The deCordova is also one of my favorites, and I have been visiting the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum in Boston since I was a child.

How did you first become involved with ArtsWorcester?

I joined ArtsWorcester in 2011. I had recently retired from teaching and wanted to get more involved with the arts community in Worcester.

What medium do you currently work in, and how did you choose this medium?

I am primarily a collage artist and work with vivid color, refections, and print media. I love to cut things out and rearrange them. I am also an assemblage artist, often using materials that can appear in both indoor and outdoor shows.

Photography is another one of my pursuits. I take pictures of my flowers in the summer, and chronicle the moon’s passage, shadows, and reflections. I also use my photographs in translucent collages displayed with light boxes, which become luminaries. These pieces have been shown in libraries, private homes, and in the form of matted prints.

What is your creative process?

I love to play. I love to fool around and make things happen with light, color, shape, repetition, reflection, sparkle, and glitter. I am presently working on framing my favorite collages in unique frames with reflective backgrounds.

How do you choose your subject matter? Are there themes that recur throughout your work?

Themes relating to women seem to predominate my work. Pregnancy and motherhood are some of my favorites, which I explore in my Madonna series. I also work with themes of nature and astronomy. In Women of the Night, a series of black and white cutouts, I use images of stars and the moon.

What living artists are you inspired by?

Laurie Anderson is one of my favorites. She is so out of the box. Though they are no longer living, I am also inspired by Matisse (the collage master), Louise Bourgeois, and Georgia O’Keeffe.

Do you own any art by other artists?

Yes, and I have been gifted art by artist friends.

What other media or directions would you like to explore?

I am also a poet, recently performed an original song, and am exploring other writing ideas. Public art excites me — art for all.