Amanda Taylor
Glass Landscapes
Burnsville, NC
By drawing inspiration from places that I have visited or live within , I use my glass work as a way to creatively interpret the ever present beauty touches my soul. I use light, color, and form to create a sense of place in my work.
Working out of her studio south of Pensicola, NC in the Cattail Creek community, Amanda Taylor creates various bodies of work that celebrate the natural beauty of the hills and mountains where she has lived and traveled throughout Canada, the United State, and various areas around the world.
Amanda’s work varies in size, subject matter, and techniques (landscape panels, glass vessels, cast glass forms, etc). She works from her own photographs and/or watercolor paintings to create her landscape series. There is no use of any enamels or paints in her work. Layers of imagery are created by using various forms of glass materials. Each piece is then fired several times in a glass kiln to achieve the final sculptural piece.
Amanda Taylor was born and raised close to the Canadian Rockies in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Her love of the outdoors, and photography, inspires her to create unique interpretations in kilnformed glass.
Amanda has been working with different forms of art materials and techniques for since her late teens. She has been working in primarily with kilnformed glass since 1994, but has been solely focused on glass since 2007. She has studied and been mentored by many glass artists from around the world. Since 2008, her and her husband, Lance Taylor, run a glass studio & teaching facility. Amanda teaches year-round both at the studio and in various studios in Canada and the USA.
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About Amanda Taylor
What mountains/state park to you most identify with? What region are you from?
I am originally from Calgary, Alberta in Canada and am deeply influenced and inspired by the Canadian Rocky Mountains. My landscapes during my early work mainly focused on this influence. Since moving to the United States in 2006 I have been gained inspiration from a variety of beautiful landscapes in various parts of the USA and Canada. The first time my husband and I came to the Blue Ridge Mountain area of NC, I instantly fell in love with the amazing layered vistas of the surrounding area. We immediately made the decision to move to this glorious area of Western NC. Every morning I open my doors to my newly found inspiration…..the Blue Ridge Mountains.
How do you incorporate the mountains into your work?
My work consists mainly of landscapes focused on the mountains and seasons that surround us her in NC. I try to capture the beautiful seasonal mountain vistas my customers see when the drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. My hope is that my work brings them back to a memory of when they first saw the amazing vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains and takes their breath away just as it did to me when I first came to this area.
Favorite season?
Fall…….and I can’t leave out spring. 🙂
When did you join the Guild and why?
I joined SHCG in 2018. I joined because I heard how the guild helps provide resources and support to the artists within their reach.
What is your favorite part of being a Guild Member? What is your participation in the Guild?
I love feeling a sense of belonging to a community and I feel being part of the guild also gives me an a opportunity to give back.
Do you teach workshops?
Yes I teach workshops year round at my studio. I absolutely love teaching and love to bring inspiration to my students.