3. Mapping Out the Works

MAPPING OUT THE WORKS

The main evidence we have to identify Taylor's works, and to determine the extent of his oeuvre, are the titles listed in exhibition catalogues. Unfortunately the lack of illustrations and information about sizes makes identification difficult; for only a handful of works are inscribed with a title and catalogues tend to include, at best, a single illustration, and, more often than not, none.

The catalogue of the Drian Gallery 1958 exhibition 4 Sculptors, 2 Painters, St Ives artists, with an introduction by Alan Bowness, lists 8 works by Bruce Taylor, numbered and titled, and includes one illustration. Sizes and prices are not given:

33. January, 1958

34. May-bug, 1957

35. April 1st, 1958

36. February, 1958

37. December, 1957

38. Crucifixion, 1958

39. March 30th, 1958

40. June 21st, 1958

Double page spread from the catalogue, showing eight entries and a photograph of what is very probably 'May-bug', a sculpture that was sold by the Belgrave Gallery to the Paisnel Gallery, soon after 1994. This work is now in a private collection.

In the absence of signatures, and given the generic nature of the titles (except for two) it is virtually impossible to identify the works, their subject-matter and the nature of the artist's concerns. Cross-referencing with the catalogue of his solo exhibition at the Drian Gallery (the same year) suggests that the illustrated sculpture was indeed May-bug.

The catalogue  of a touring exhibition of St Ives artists organised by the Arts Council, in 1957: 

The Penwith Society of Arts in Cornwall. A Selection of Paintings, Drawings, Sculpture and Pottery. The Arts Council 1957, 

[Introduction by Philip James. 60 item priced catalogue. Includes work by Barns-Graham, Trevor Bell, Sandra Blow, Terry Frost, Hepworth, Heron, Hilton, Mackenzie, Peile, Bruce Taylor, Wells, Weske, Leach etc.]

shows that Bruce Taylor exhibited four works under three categories: drawing, sculpture and ceramics:

34.  Drawing for sculpture. Indian Ink: 19 1/2 x 12 in [10gns]

[This drawing could be the one illustrated below, post-dated, or one similar]

35. Drawing. Indian Ink. 8 1/2  x 25 in  [15gns]

50. Metal Sculpture. 16 in.  [18 gns]

60. Shell Form (earthenware Dish).  [£8]

At £8, the price for Taylor's ceramics exhibit — 'Shell form' — exceeded those of Bernard Leach's moulded jars [£4 & £5], lidded bowl [£5]; Janet Leach's 'decorated' stoneware bottle [£4]; William Marshall's teapot [£2.10], and Kenneth Quick's stoneware bottle [£2].

This may be explained by the fact that Taylor did not situate this ceramic in the domestic craft category, but had higher artistic ambitions. This did not prevent him from making popular pieces for sale to tourists (sea-gulls...).  

Given the limited number of works artists were allowed to show at the exhibitions of the Penwith Society, Taylor subsequently chose to exhibit under the two categories of 'Painting and Drawing' and 'Sculpture', in preference to ceramics (which placed him in the 'craft' rather than in the 'fine arts' category) at the tri-annually Penwith Society exhibitions.

A photograph in the St Ives Times and Echo (3.03.1959) shows Bruce Taylor and Barbara Hepworth opening an open air exhibition of sculptures by St Ives artists, that included the works of Roger Leigh, John Hoskin, John Milne, Denis Mitchell, Barbara Tribe and Brian Wall. 

The review credited Taylor for the considerable time and energy he had invested in making the exhibition possible.

I have found no record of which and how many works Taylor exhibited in that show.

The format for displaying the works was the same as that used at the first open air exhibition of sculpture that the Arts Council opened at Penzance in 1957.

Alongside drawings, paintings and sculptures Taylor produced ceramics,

including this large bowl: 

This may be the work (or similar to that) shown on a photograph taken by Taylor in his St Ives studio and exhibited in 1957 as St Ives Dish. An other version [from the same or a similar mould and bearing a different motifs] is dated 1956 and could have been made in the studio of Bernard Leach, where Taylor worked for a while, learning about ash glazes.

This platter, decorated with colored slip and sgraffito:

was perhaps made in France, where Taylor set up a ceramic studio with the intention to earn a living and also fund his sculpture-making. This was not to be. Ceramics occupied all his time and energies, for as long as his health allowed him, and provided only a modest income.

This 'urchin' vase:

from the artist studio (signed with what looks like a 'T' or a Japanese-style

character).

An anthropomorphic vase reminiscent of Cycladic votive figures:

Ceramic vessel. Earthenware, 1950s.

is strangely anticipatory of the cycladic series that Hans Copper produced from the mid 70s:

testimony to Taylor's capacity to experiment and innovate, without seeking to capitalise on it.

The ceramics he produced during the last years of his working life show him returning to the simple forms and ash glazes he had learnt from Leach in St Ives: