David Taylor

Te Ati Awa, Taranaki, Clan Cameron

Ko Taranaki toku maunga, ko Hangatahua toku awa, ko Kurahaupo toku waka, Tarawainuku toku marae.

For Dave Taylor “art has always been a kind of magic, an awakening, the senses engaged, mind body and spirit. Being an art practitioner has to be the ultimate as it deals with creation and life expanding in its purest form. Essentially I’m a tutu – mischief – and my daubings and scrapings are the conduits through which I transfer emotions, stories, experiences, history past and present, positive and negative. Balance in life as in art is my ultimate goal. Mihi nui atu ki a kotou katoa – greetings one and all.”

Born in Palmerston North in 1963 he now lives in Whangarei in Northland. Always artistic, and self-taught, he was attracted by Maori caving in the Auckland Museum – particularly the Taranaki style. He discovered bone carving whilst attending a graphics design course at Manukau Polytechnic in 1987, and since then his work has extended to wood, clay and shell. His more contemporary inspirations have come from the works of Cliff Whiting, Para Matchitt, Fred Graham, Dave Hegglun, Steve Myhre, Doug Marsden, Trevor Heighway, Rangi Kipa and others.

Since 1989 he has taken part in a number of exhibitions and art-related events all over the North Island, from the three biannual Maori Markets in Porirua (2007-2011), Fingers and Te Taumata galleries in Auckland, to Matariki exhibitions and other shows in Whangarei.

His work was included in 2011’s “Mini Masterworks” show at the Spirit Wrestler Gallery in Vancouver, and he recently took part in 2012’s Stonecarving Symposium in Whangarei.