My current work is focused in part on simplifying my compositions and experimenting with different dyeing and felting techniques. In making the felt for these pieces, my use of dye has become looser and more spontaneous, which creates interesting and unpredictable textures on the material. My aim is to emulate textures found in natural landscapes like those that can be seen on large swaths of land from a bird’s eye view as well as tiny areas of rich texture found on rocks and trees. Focusing on this element of the work allows for increased open space making compositions more gestural and less crowded. By doing this, I hope to evoke feelings frequently experienced in open spaces out in nature where visual perspective can often give way to spiritual and emotional insight.

My newest pieces are inspired by satellite images of various rivers throughout Oklahoma. For me rivers make for a very compelling compositional device with endless inspiration to be found in the way they wind through and carve up a landscape. With this work I have been experimenting with new techniques to evoke the feeling of moving water and differentiate the texture of the water from the texture of the land. The river is a visual reference taken from reality which then allows me to take more liberties in representing the surrounding landscape in an abstract way. Viewed from above, there are shapes and colors that are not naturally occurring, the land bares the fingerprint of human use whereas the river appears wilder and more untouched. In this work, I am exploring the tension between the natural form and beauty of the river and the stark geometry and patterns imprinted upon the land by humans.


Taylor Painter-Wolfe 2024