Anne Morand

From an Art Curator

I first encountered Norman Taylor’s artworks in the Tulsa, Oklahoma home of his son and daughter-in-law, Malcolm Taylor and Deborah Burke.  I admired his sure hand at watercolor and the clean lines by which he delineated his subject – in this case, trains.

The opportunity to see a broader range of Norman’s work through this website has just increased my appreciation for this versatile and talented artist.  I was delighted by the personal notes and cards he illustrated over the years for his grandchildren, from humorous to sweet to beautiful – what a legacy!  One of my loves is original prints, and Norman’s woodcuts, especially from the 1930s, are exquisite, with reference to the formal definition: “in the sense of rare excellence of production or execution, as works of art or workmanship.”  One of the most unforgiving media, woodcut demands the ability to visualize the final image before incising the first line into the block.  Norman’s paintings of English towns and countryside – my favorites are scenes of Cornwall – evoke a nostalgia, even in someone like me who has never visited.  Through his paintings, I am there.

Most of us hope to pass through our lives with industry and success, but few of us are able to leave much of real substance to mark our existence.   Norman Taylor has done so, enviably, through his artwork.

Anne Morand, Curator of Art, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA