Lily Taylor Art - Animal Portraits - Paintings Of Your Pet

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Artist Profile - Lily Taylor

Lily was born and brought up in Aberdeen where after leaving school with many art awards, went to college then to Aberdeen University to train as a Cartographer. Her natural drawing ability came to the fore there, using pen and ink in maps and diagrams. This medium was used again some years later when she was asked to illustrate quarterly Ornithologist's reports illustrating the beautiful, elegant Sandwich Tern after studying the birds in their natural habitat on the Sands of Forvie Nature Reserve. Portrait painting and sketching were always done on a hobby basis until she joined an art class where she was introduced to pastels amongst other media. Lily then chose to take formal art classes where pastel was the medium choice of the teaching artists Margaret Evans and Fiona Haldane both acknowledged as two of the best pastellists in Scotland.

Lily still travels to training courses and workshops run by other artists as she feels technique can be applied to any medium and currently attends two art classes in Aberdeen run by two other well known Scottish artists Helen Bruce, Head of Art at Harlaw Academy and Sue Thornton, Manager/Exhibition Manager of The Milton Gallery at Crathes.

Her favourite subject is animals, particularly wild animals which is seen from viewing her website. Travel to Africa frequently to visit her family gives her an ideal opportunity to photograph wild animals in their own environment and it is this that she reproduces in her art. Lily remembers an instance in Zambia where “we had to camp overnight in Chaminuka Game Reserve in saturated clothes due to a sudden African downpour and in the morning couldn’t leave the reserve as, standing directly in front of our vehicle was a female elephant and her calf – a stand-off which gave me an ideal opportunity to photograph them both at close quarters”. Her elder son who lives in Africa also sends her many photos of African wildlife giving her ample reference material.

Dogs and pets feature strongly in her portfolio also and this can also be seen by viewing the website under the heading “Commissions”. Another hobby of Lily’s has been dog showing which she has done for 35 years during which time she bred several champions, is a dog show specialist and judges at Dog Shows all over the UK. This hobby led to her current business of Dog Grooming, where she has been so fortunate in being given Commissions from her clients. Lily is quoted as saying “the expression on an owner’s face when they first view the finished portrait of their beloved pet is something that never leaves you and gives such satisfaction”.

Lily has had her work hung in The Milton Gallery, Country Frames Gallery, Hennies Gallery and this Spring/Summer is exhibiting 10 pieces in The Pitlochry Festival Theatre Gallery. She has entered various exhibitions where she has sold work plus takes pleasure in being a member of 4 art clubs where she also exhibits and has been successful in selling her work.

Whilst Lily worked as an administrator for Grampian Police, she was delighted when her design for the Force Christmas Card was accepted, after approval by The Chief Constable. She was also responsible for designing a Christmas Card for another employer, done in pen and ink.