MILWAUKEE — A very talented local artist creates art with a message.
“I hope the pieces give people something to think about, and I love working in abstraction because 10 people will see 10 different things. My hope is that it will spawn a discussion," said Richard.
Richard, or Dr. Taylor, was a practicing dentist. TMJ4 News asked why and how he made the shift to the world of art.
“Dentistry is a very important profession, and it was a privilege to help people, but I would always be thinking that there was something I needed to do that was more expressive. So, I sold (the) practice and went to UWM and got a masters (degree) in fine art, and have been very fortunate to exist as an artist," he said. "I feel like I went from a profession to a vocation. It’s about listening to that inner voice, and I’d much rather answer the call of a vocation than a profession.”
His first big break came with Quad Graphics as an artist-in-residence. There he learned to weld, and he never looked back. Richard’s colorful metal sculptures can be seen throughout the country. You may have seen “A Beam of Sun to Shake the Sky” at the Milwaukee Public Library.
One of Richard’s many fans, actor Courtney B. Vance, commissioned him to create a sculpture for his wife Angela Basset’s 60th birthday. Richard and his wife were flown to LA to oversee the installation and attend the celebration.
To learn more about this hidden gem, check out Richard's website.
