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J. B. TAYLOR - Artist

1917 - 1970

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elcome to the website dedicated to the art of Canadian landscape artist J.B. (Jack) Taylor (1917 - 1970). Highly respected as an artist and teacher across Canada, he is best known for his representational, semi-abstract and abstract paintings of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, though his extensive oeuvre also contains portraits, ink drawings, allied aircraft from World War II, and subject matter inspired by Italy. The website features examples of works from each category gathered from numerous public and private collections across Canada. Those who know his landscape paintings appreciate them as being among the very best ever produced in Canada.

Audrey M. Taylor, J.B. Taylor's wife of 25 years, had an enduring interest in seeing her husband's paintings reach a wider audience than could be met through the dispersed institutional and private collections containing his work. This belief was most acutely felt following his sudden death at age 53 just when he was entering his prime as an artist. Over the next 31 years, Audrey continued to support research into her husband's art and was instrumental in facilitating the exhibition of his work. She kept records of many of her husband's paintings and saved memorabilia such as newspaper articles over much of his career and posthumously. These were an invaluable resource in the development of this website. The creation of this site is in partial fulfilment of her wish to have many more people, be they students, researchers or art lovers, see and appreciate the legacy of J.B. Taylor's paintings.

Catalogue Request

The estate of J.B. Taylor is in the process of compiling a catalogue of the complete works of J.B. Taylor. This endeavour will help locate unrecorded or ’missing‘ works and assist research in the event of future exhibitions or publications of Taylor's works. It is hoped this catalogue will also become a resource available to scholars, researchers and curators.

If you own or believe you might own a work by J.B. Taylor, please contact the estate of J.B. Taylor at the below e-mail or address. Also, if you have already contacted the estate but then subsequently change your address, sell or gift your painting, the estate would appreciate hearing from you about these updates. All communications with the estate will be kept confidential. Thank you for your interest.

E-mail: info@jbtaylor.ca

Post:
Administrator, J.B. Taylor Estate
PO Box 4282
Edmonton, AB  T6E 4T3

 

Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Opabin #1
J.B. Taylor  Opabin #1, 1968  Private Collection

J.B. Taylor
and the Idea of Mountains

April 7 to June 10, 2012, Main Gallery

J.B. Taylor had a long connection to Banff through the inspiration he found here and his time teaching at the Banff School of Fine Arts. In his unique style, J.B. Taylor captures the “idea of mountains” in this milestone exhibition and tribute to the Rockies.

Guest Curator, Adriana A. Davies, C.M., Ph.D.

The family of J.B. Taylor is pleased to announce the upcoming University of Calgary Press publication of  "J.B. Taylor and the Idea of Mountains", a book by Adriana A. Davies, C.M., Ph.D., based on the J.B. Taylor Exhibition at the Whyte Museum. The book will provide a biography and discussion of the evolution of Taylor’s work with respect to subject matter and technique, and place it in the context of Albertan and Canadian art.  While centering on the mountain paintings, it will also discuss his aircraft paintings and murals, other landscape work and the Italian pictures.