PAULINE Taylor is the Mitchell Shire Artist of the Year, capping off a remarkable growth in her art career of which she has made her mark within the Seymour and District Art Society.
As secretary and co-workshop co-ordinator alongside Maureen Runge, Ms Taylor has put in the hard yards to ensure the Society had a successful year, headlined by appearances in the Art4CFA exhibition, as well as the Society’s recent Art Beyond the Divide exhibition.
Ms Taylor’s bio on the Society website reads that she has a style which is inspired by the Impressionists, leaning on realism to showcase her artwork from where she lives, particularly with the water, mountains, rocks and trees.
Despite not having formal qualifications, she has learned the craft through lessons and workshops to perform all types of different arts, including her newest craft, oil painting.
Ms Taylor said she was surprised by the honour, but was delighted to be recognised, nonetheless.
“It’s really amazing. I was quite surprised, but it’s nice to be acknowledged for being a good volunteer. I am lucky to have that involvement in the Society, they are a bunch of good people, and I am glad I can help out,” she said.
“We have great people who are willing to take on jobs. That’s what makes it well-run, people prepared to do all the hard work.”
Ms Taylor said she was fortunate to be able to perform and perfect different crafts through her hard work.
“I am lucky. Learning anything new is exciting, and anything to do with art is fun to try. It is very rewarding to have a go at all sorts of ways of doing art,” she said.
“I have been lucky to do workshops and lessons learning from other artists. I am fortunate the arts community is growing, and people are really getting into it.”
Ms Taylor said enjoying growth with like-minded artists and being part of a team was the best bit about working in the Society.
“The fact that you are mixing with like-minded people who really enjoy what they do, of which I enjoy it too, and being part of a good team, as it is teamwork to have a good society operating, is what I like. It’s not just me who works hard, it’s others as well,” she said.
