Taylor Brown

Hey,

I don’t ever blog anymore.  That’s not to say that I’m coming back now and this is going to be the first of many blog posts.  However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t either.  I don’t have to much to blog about exactly.  My art has suffered immensely in the last while.  

After leaving Sheridan College I was initially very enthusiastic about the illustration world and was ready to take it by storm.  Fourth year was great and all and I thought it was the beginning of something special.  After our grad show I realized 2 things.  1, people weren’t overly enthused about my art.  In that sense I would say I had a very unsuccessful grad show.  I came out with no contacts and really nothing much to show for it.  This is not me saying Sheridan’s illustration program had anything to do with it.  The program was amazing and gave me everything i asked it to.  I still to this day loved every second of it.  The 2nd thing was, not only did people not seem enthused by my art but neither was I.  When I stepped back and looked I realized that I was not being the artist I wanted to be, I was trying to be some of the artists that I thought were interesting.  

Overall I don’t think I was technically going in the wrong direction but it just wasn’t exactly what I wanted.  Was it talent, ambition, motivation or materials that were lacking?  I don’t think so.  I think it could have been inspiration.  After the 4 years and the grad show I did at Sheridan College and probably 2 or 3 weeks of sitting on everything and letting it sink in I finally figured out where I wanted to go with my art.  However, when I tried going forward with it I found myself not being motivated enough to accomplish anything.  I had no inspiration left.  I though back to one of my favorite teachers while I was at Sheridan.  Marco told me that he was graduated from sheridan 4 years before he finally found his path.  This gave me a bit of comfort.  So where the hell was I going to find inspiration?

I started working as a floral designer (which is a fancy way of saying florist), and still am.  It’s alright, not the greatest and certainly not what I want to do my whole life, but alright.  I get to be creative, deal with design.  I even get to do some graphic design sometimes.  Its really not that special though.

One night I was at a party, talking to my buddy Kyle who I had met actually at Sheridan.  He wasn’t in my program but he new people that were.  We bonded over music.  We loved the same music, primarily Hardcore/Metal type music which not a lot of people at Sheridan were into.  This party was a while after Sheridan, Kyle was always in bands throughout college but none of them really amounted to much.  So he was going on about his new band he started with his brother (who i also knew, he’s Alex).  Sounded great, made me jealous to be honest.  After a while of not hearing from Kyle he messaged me, the gentlemen they had planned on doing vocals for his band couldn’t.  He remembered I had mentioned I had done vocals in a band before (grade 10 I think), and he thought he asked if I was interested.  My first thought, without even having to think twice was this is exactly what I need!  Inspiration from and completely unrelated source.  My life really didn’t have much going on, so why not?

Since then we have recorded songs, played shows, printed t-shirts and had a hell of a good time.  I haven’t looked back since.

Download us, like us, listen to us, come see us.  

WE ARE “GREAT LAKES”

http://greatlakesband.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/greatlakesband

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8yH6IYB6_w

I’m sorry to anyone who actually likes to look at my tumblr.  I don’t think there really is anyone but if there is, they must notice how rarely I post things.  However, I thought I could give an update.  Working for a flower design shop.  It’s not exactly what I want to be doing.  Well actually its not even close to what I want to be doing.  A plus is I’m doing some graphic work which is a little fun.

Here’s a sticker I designed.

Hey guys!

Here is another illustration I just finished.. it’s up on my website with a couple more, go check them out!

Also, I recently joined the Twitter universe… look me up there @gotaylorbrown

Hey guys,

I haven’t got as much Illustration done as I wanted to the last while, but I did get some.

Please go check out my website and see some of the new stuff I just put up!

WWW.GOTAYLORBROWN.COM

Hey guys,

I haven’t actually been gone for a long time.  Just busy.  Working at a new job.  Convallaria Floral Design is the business.  I’m doing some of their graphic design and stuff… haven’t gotten into it to heavily yet, but I will soon hopefully.  Not a lot else is new really… I got a cat.  Her name is Penny.  I am more of a dog person to be honest but cats require less time.  Meaning I can leave her for 8 hours during the day while I’m at work and don’t really have to worry.  I love her, she’s a beauty!

Excited the hockey season is back in full swing.. I guess not a lot of other illustrators will feel the same.. at least going by my class in school.  I don’t think a single one of them care.  I do though… GO FLYERS GO!

HEY GUYS!

I agree, my tumblr and all this graphic work is getting boring.. Here’s some more anyway!

Hey Guys,

I realized it has been way to long since I updated and theres no real reason for that.  Sometimes you just get busy.  With work and everything else I just haven’t been able to get much illustration done, which is really bad.  However, I am doing some graphic design as you know if you’ve read my blog before.  Also after talking to some people I realized some people do actually read this blog to keep updated with my life… (Shout out to Evan!)

Anyway, Here is a back to school poster I did recently… For Groms once again.

It has officially been to long since I posted something on my blog….

thank you, that is all

Taylor

bored + H7 everywhere = poster?

So I’m at work.. little bored.. very tired.(it’s day 7 in a row of 9 so I’m allowed) To make things even more awesome, it looks like it may rain so no one is around or coming into my store.. so I’m super board.

Did a digital painting… first one ever!!

I hate digital painting… just not my cup of tea.  I hate doing it that is.. not them in general.  I appreciate a lot of digital painting and think there are tons of artist to awesome stuff with it… just not really for me. So I did one!!

it was more to kill time though… as you can see, it’s amazing!

Here is another poster design I did at work for GROMS!  It is like the last one (subject) but instead of skateboarding its skimboarding.  I’ve never done it but it looks fun.  Anyway, I went for the classic vintage/ silkscreen old poster look… yes it has been done.  I like that look though, I still think it’s cool when you can pull it off.  Not saying I did… I like it though!

CHECK IT!

So I got a job!!

A great store in Oakville hired me to work retail and be their graphic designer.  Now I’m not claiming to be a professional Graphic designer at all.  However, I had a brilliant graphic design teacher during my four year at Sheridan college!  ”SHOUT OUT TO JILL!”  I’m no pro though, but I’m enjoying and like to think I know some of the basics and have the ability to create some cool stuff.

So this is one poster I designed… I had fun with it…

Finished school, and I am trying to keep up the momentum that school forces you to work in.  It isn’t easy but I’m trying.  I’m also watching as my bank account continues to drain.  So I’m also trying to find a job… which isn’t fun or easy.

Real life?  I don’t know man….

So I’m in my last week at Sheridan College. MEANING.. I graduate soon. Which I’m terrified for because a lot of things come with graduating college.

1-  Having a part time job at a restaurant or wherever is no longer saving for college. It’s failure.
2-  OSAP no longer will provide you with rent money.
3-  It is the countdown to paying your OSAP off which for me is a lot.
4-  When someone asks what you do you can’t say “I’m a student”.. You have to actually say where you work because that is technically “what you do” now.  For me that might be Subway.  That’s scary

I’m sure theres more… and I’ll post them as I think of them.

Last Thursday my 4th year Illustration class had their annual Grad Show.  This is a collective gallery show that showcases everyone (this year I believe it was 82 students) in the classes work.

It was held in Toronto as it has the last many years.  It was a two day event, Thursday and Friday and I must say it was a crazy and awesome experience.  It was a lot of fun and there was a ridiculously large amount of people there.  I have to give it two thumbs up for sure.  A lot of people put in a lot of work to get it done and I thank them (professors and the student council)!

If you didn’t go and you are from the area then you seriously missed out and I beg you to keep an eye out for next years because I hear it is going to be an awesome show once again!

Heres a piece I did for it.

My name is Taylor Brown.  I’m from the Niagara region but currently reside in Oakville, Ontario.  I’m about to graduate from this crazy world that we call college.  I attend Sheridan College for Illustration and in only a few more weeks will have graduated.  Among graduation my life will change, I will go from Student to Illustrator.  I’m scared, I think it would be weirder if I wasn’t.  I don’t know much about the world really, especially the world of Illustration.  I mean, I may know more about it then the many people who know nothing, but I still feel like as a student I’ve only scratched the surface of this crazy world.  I don’t consider myself a prodigy or someone that will change the world, despite what my mom says.  However, maybe my art can.  Maybe not, but who knows.  My art may speak to someone, and I figure my illustration career can really only go up from here.  That’s me as an artist.  

Me as a human is something similar.  The same fears of failure and the huge world around me.  I also like sports though.  I’m a big supporter of music, but I mean who says they don’t support music really.  I like film and television, I love food and to eat.  I have red hair and I think Ellen Degeneres is funny.  Pretty normal guy with a good sense of humour.  I can be quite sarcastic but in a good way I think.

I’m starting this blog for a few reasons.  Mostly because I have things to say and art to occasionally show and would love for people who are interested to see it.  So tune in if you’d like and I’ll try my best to keep you entertained.

Good bye, and good luck!

-taylor