A Moment in Time Captured in an Oil Painting by Katherine Taylor

Visited a few galleries over the weekend and it was hard to select only one artist or a particular painting to write about because there are some wonderful works of art at these galleries. I found one painting in particular that captured my attention right away and left me awe struck because this painting holds so much of a life's past in Bend. This painting is titled "Stone Bench," done by Katherine Taylor, located at the Mirror Pond Gallery in Bend, Oregon, and it literally took my breath away with the sweep of the brush and dramatic feel it presented while leading me to my memories. There it was in essence, capturing my feelings. As I gazed in awe of this painting, it told me of a place and an essence in time on the corner of Wall Street where this bench sits, but the bench was gone for a time while they were doing remodeling and construction and when the bench was gone and we are only left with its memory and wonderment. Where did it go?

I believe Taylor is a natural at oil paintings and it shows throughout her art work. I though she had many exceptionally detailed, and beautiful paintings, but this painting in particular held a story for me as she captured a moment in time. This painting went to my memories and brought me to recall numerous times of sitting and resting on that bench, surrounded by my friends and family for many years and through many events held downtown. Furthermore, I instantly recalled memories of my sons sitting on the man sculpted in the bench when they were babies and taking photographs. I wonder how many people here and around the world have photographs of this bench that Taylor has included in her painting.

The painting is 30" X 24" giving it scale and is so realistic that I could feel the connection as it transcends itself, making you aware of the movement as it defines art. Taylor captures a piece of art History in this painting, as it tells of a culture and a place in time. Taylor stated that chiaroscuro is a painting method she uses to capture the beauty around us. Therefore, she uses influences from the paintings and painters that have come before her.

I believe this painting holds more than just the light and dark elements of value and chiaroscuro, but additionally holds classical composition by using the element of lines that gives you the sense of the physical motion as the man lights a smoke on the bench. Taylor manipulates the painting by the setting lines and giving the feeling of a relaxed almost sleepy moment. The shape of the building behind the bench and the man gives this painting a three dimensional form with depth perception coming from the Altamira style. The man lighting his smoke gives the painting value by setting up the sound, almost, as if you can hear the lighter light and hear his breath as he takes a puff from the smoke, additionally, there is a feeling of life from the yellow rays coming from the window on the building; giving a sense of motion and warmth through the lights colorings and brightness. It gives the subjectiveness that the man sought a moment of serenity from the busy life in the lighted window.

Furthermore, her color choices in this painting makes you respond and you know that moment is early to mid evening because the street light above the man on the bench is not lit up and you can further tell by the dark shades and color hues she used in the sky. I perceived she incorporated a fragment of the Lascoux style also with the dark outline around the bench, tree and the man, but she also changed to a lighter outline around the windows and top of the building, as well as a lighter outline around the mans coat . I assume she did this to feature more depth perception in the man. I felt she adds the intuitive perspective with the lines of energy that one can almost feel. Taylor utilizes loose and free-flowing lines which brings the tree and man to life with naturalness and texture. Additionally the horizontal lines give the bench a sense of hardness. I believe Taylor occupies the space well by adding the Starbucks building behind the man and with deep blues of the shadows from the setting sun, giving this painting a stacked perspective, while including the flat plains of color in the building, the background, foreground and sky.

Taylor's painting holds supposition and her statement "this act of creation is what excites me the most about painting. Beyond that, it would be hard to say why I paint. Without a brush, I am fairly mute," defines Art as being a self portrait of the artist. Taylor further stated, "I will let these paintings of mine speak to you of there own volition." Taylor's comment further demonstrates and defines the meaning of art. I searched for the context in this painting, wondered why was it done? Did she know that this bench would be removed at the time she painted it or was it just that moment in time that told of a place and a man? I feel Taylor's patronage for this painting is for a wide range of admires and whom ever may want to acquire it and I could be one of those patronages who would find this painting irresistible and must acquire this moment and sweet memory in time.