Research Project

Taylor Robenalt

Source: https://artaxis.org/taylor-robenalt/

Taylor Robenalt got her Bachelor in Fine Arts for bronze casting and stone carving at Southern Methodist University in Texas. Although she had these degrees, she soon found she had a love for ceramics and went to University of South Florida and got a post bachelor degree in it. While working towards her post bachelor, she became a studio assistant for GraphicStudio, which is a studio at USF. After college, she moved once again to Athens, Georgia to attend University of Georgia to get her MFA in ceramics. While doing this, she received more experience through a graduate assistantship. She graduated from there in May 2011, and has since worked at Auburn University and Columbus State University teaching different types of ceramics.

It seems like she crafts her pieces using a mix of both additive and subtractive techniques, as well as some pinch and possibly coil. She uses a combination of glazes and underglazes to create the black, white, and pops of color on her pieces, making certain parts of the pieces really stand out.

I love her combination of “flora and fauna” because it gives us a nice view of nature in a whole new, abstract perspective. Her idea to have the animal heads coming out of the flowers makes the admirer question what’s going on and what the artist was thinking while making this. In her artist statement, Robenalt said “[Art] allows me an outlet to represent a part of me that I have a hard time putting into words.” This leaves me to wonder what this part of her is, and if she ever did/will find a way to express it using words.