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07/06/2009: "Clearly Canadian: Phil & Kat Taylor"
Phil and Kat Taylor are husband and wife art collectors. They live just outside Toronto, Canada which is a cool art city. One day, out of the blue, Phil emailed me and we started chatting about our common interest. I thought that he would make a great interview subject. He has a forthright, down to earth, yet very polite air about him. To me, this makes him "Clearly Canadian." Read on and you'll see.
MICHAEL: Hi Phil. Thanks for talking with me. You and your wife Kat (Katherine) are collectors. What got you into collecting? How did you begin?
PHIL: Well, my parents were both professional actors in Canada, so I grew up in an arts saturated environment - literature, music, acting, and of course visual arts. My early passion was photography since I could not draw very well, but I was always drawn to the fine arts of painting and sculpting. As a young adult I started to buy prints of popular master works though I always kept an eye on the contemporary scene as well. But it took many years to figure out what I really liked. We are bombarded with so many opinions and views on art that it can be very confusing. And when you start to buy original art, you really want to be sure of yourself, because it usually costs quite a bit more to buy good originals, even from unknown artists. And about 10 years ago I bought my first quality original by a fine Quebec artist named Louise Dandurand. The art dealer knew it was my first buy and could see I was nervous. When we completed the deal he said "I know it's a bit scary buying your first original, but it gets easier." He was right. I married my wife a few years after that and found that we have similar taste in art, and we have been buying new works from living artists ever since.
MICHAEL: Phil, I'm so glad that you got over your fear about how did Kat become a collector? Kat, are you there?
KAT: Hi Mike, this is Kat. Phil does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to our art ... but here is a bit about myself. I am a professional singer/actor, and I have been active in the arts generally throughout my life. During my undergrad degrees at Queen's University in Kingston Ontario. I studied in Europe � "Music History and Performance Practice". One summer the course was offered in Venice and the next it was in Vienna. During this time I saw a tremendous number of masterpieces. Certainly I never imagined that I would live in a 'gallery' of original art! Phil's enthusiasm has made this possible for me.
MICHAEL: Phil, it seems that your enthusiasm has conquered your early fear of art. I think that fear is the number one thing that keeps people from even visiting art galleries let alone becoming art collectors. Much of society has been brainwashed into believing that art is so far above their comprehension that they dare not aspire. What do you think?
PHIL: I agree with you Michael, but it's more than just fear. Many people are turned off by art today because they simply don't like what they see. I am speaking of course about much of the art created since the beginning of the 20th century. And it certainly doesn't help that the larger art establishment swoons over work that leaves the average person scratching their head. And I have to confess right up front that I am pretty average too. The vast majority of art I see today seems amateurish or uninteresting. The truth is that I have to force myself to go into galleries. I know that most of what I see will not interest me in the slightest, but I do it because I never know when and where I might find a gem. It doesn't surprise me at all that many people don't even make an effort. But for me its like a treasure hunt.
MICHAEL: Art is a treasure hunt for me as well. The last time that I went gallery hopping in Chelsea (New York City), I was stunned by some of the crap that I saw! You don't have to be an "expert" to recognize junk. Fortunately, Chelsea has more than 200 galleries, so there was also some truly fantastic work to see. What really bothers me is when it appears that the artist/curator isn't interested in trying to engage or inspire us. Not long ago, I visited a new contemporary art museum that staged a BIG exhibition, but I felt that the curators intentionally made it the opposite of what had been promoted. I think it was their way of saying, "We're beyond caring what you think because we'll never allow you into our club!" Such a disservice.
PHIL: Well it's hard to know exactly what many curators, gallery owners, art critics and artists themselves, are really thinking about the average person. But sometimes they let their guard down. I read an interview with a gallery owner who said she only shows art she really hates. I wonder if she tells prospective buyers in her gallery how much she hates the work she is trying to sell them? Fact is I stopped caring what the art establishment was saying or doing, years ago. I keep my eye on the ball - the ball being new art. I make my own judgments and keep moving forward. And you hit the nail on the head. I look for art that inspires and engages me.
MICHAEL: So, what kind of art do you and Kat collect? How would you describe your collection? Is there a common thread?
PHIL; Well Michael, I thought you would never ask. Our taste is quite eclectic in that we do not look for a particular style or theme. Most of the work is two dimensional and all of it is by living, working artists. They are mostly Canadian, but we have also bought pieces from American, French, and Chinese artists. There are four essential elements we consider when buying art, and in no particular order they are:
1. Technical mastery by the artist in his chosen medium. As you know the importance of mastery has taken a beating in the last century or so. The message is all important now, but there are still artists who strive for the kind of excellence that we saw during the Renaissance for example. And mastery takes years, so most of our artists are in their 40s and 50s. We keep an eye on promising young artists, but we do not buy their work. We want the best they can possibly do, and in our experience that comes years later.
2. A strong, personal, positive, artistic vision. The work must be unmistakably their own, and generate a positive energy. There is so much negative, shocking or simply confusing art out there today. It is not for us.
3. Then, of course we have to love a piece on a purely subjective level. This is the mysterious 'x' factor. What moves an artist to create? What motivates someone to buy? Why do we pay good money for colored mud applied to stretched cloth? I really can't explain this part any further.
4. And finally, we have to be able to afford the work. This is why we tend to look for artists who are not that well known in the larger art world, but who still produce excellent work. Once an artist gets a reputation, their prices go way up. We don't mind paying fairly significant sums for quality work, but we are only willing to pay for the work and not the reputation. If these four elements come together for us, then we buy. It's that simple.
MICHAEL: I'm so glad that you focus on emerging artists. I think this is the most exciting sector of the art market/world. Didn't you tell me that you've started a gallery in your home? How does it work?
PHIL: Just a quick follow up on the last question. There is another reason we buy from working artists. While I love much of the art from the past, it is not of my time, and I have some trouble relating to it. I am alive right now, and we prefer to look at artists who are also alive now. This is our time, and we are all going through it together in some sense. As I write this, I am imagining some unknown artist toiling away right now on what will be a masterpiece. That is the piece of art I want to find and buy.
The gallery. Yes. One never knows if others will love or even like the art you collect, but you buy what you love anyway. Over the past few years as our collection has grown (it is still fairly small - about 30 choice pieces) we had been getting more and more favorable comments from family and friends who would visit in the normal course of events. Almost everyone it seemed was eager to see the next piece we bought, and they were very excited by what they saw. And they wondered out loud why more commercial galleries and museums did not show more work of the kind we displayed. Several people suggested that we share our collection in some way, since in their view it was such a fine one. So I thought why not? A collector is really a caretaker of the art they own. We will die and someone else will have it for a time, and so on. I think we have a responsibility to share our good fortune and not hoard the gifts of talented artists. So Kat and I recently decided to open our home in Acton as a free, public gallery. We put notices in the local media, and I was interviewed by a local newspaper and radio station. We hand out cards to people who seem interested and invite them over, but mostly it is word of mouth. We are open by appointment only. Just call and let us know when you want to drop in. Without exception, everyone who has visited really loves the work we have, and of course that is very gratifying for us.
MICHAEL: So many people think that art collectors just want to "show off" to other people what they have. Obviously, you're doing this for deeper reasons. What makes showing your collection so gratifying?
PHIL: I think in part it is about making a connection with people. I spend considerable time looking at new art, and especially art that many in the art establishment dismiss. I am swimming against the current, so when average people see and enjoy the work we have, I know that I am not alone. We share a common experience. It is also a vindication of sorts. I knew in my gut that many people wanted a return to beauty, aesthetic quality, and mastery in art, and that is what I look for as well. Curators and critics can have their unmade beds, and pickled sharks. Down here on the ground it is about being inspired by art, and sharing that inspiration with others.
MICHAEL: Phil, it has been great connecting with a kindred spirit in the art world. Finally, what role do you think art plays in contemporary society? Of course, I have my own opinion, but I ask you this because so many people view art as an extravagance that has no relevance to our everyday lives.
PHIL: This is a very difficult question for me. I tend to look at art from a very subjective viewpoint, and I am in over my head when it comes to the big picture. However, Kat has a very clear idea about this question so here are her thoughts.
KAT: It is my opinion and that of many great thinkers throughout all ages, that art is the manifest expression of humanity. All organisms and phenomena are creating change on a constant basis. Natural �organization� or �design is fundamentally artistic even when appearing as �random�. This is evidenced by texture, pigmentation, contrast and symmetry. Take for example a flower, a honeycomb, a snowdrift or raindrops. A tremendous energy is released as artistic forms appear in nature. Some natural phenomena are literally designed to communicate with elements in the environment for the purpose of survival of the species � for example markings on animal of different sexes. All of this is the great creative urge of the universe � life itself. The human artist needs to release the energy of his or her �humanity� � the desire for connection, the heart of compassion, the joy of living, the fear of pain, the certainty of death - for the purpose of fulfilling interaction with other humans. This is exactly parallel to the �attraction for survival,� designs or �behaviors� of other life forms. Without the joyful release and absorption of creative energy one to another, the human species experiences terminal isolation, despair and ultimate spiritual and physical extinction. Is �art� relevant to contemporary society? Yes, our very humanity depends upon the creation of and experiencing of that which has never before appeared. The artist is the �hero� of our past, our present and our future.
MICHAEL: Wow. Kat coming in with the completion! What more can I say? Thanks guys.
MICHAEL CORBIN IS AN AVID ART COLLECTOR AND AUTHOR OF THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING BOOK, �THE ART OF EVERYDAY JOE: A COLLECTOR�S JOURNAL.� CHECK OUT HIS NEW WEBSITE, WWW.ARTBOOKGUY.COM
