VICTORIA TAYLOR

Victoria Taylor

AKA: Victoria Taylor

Born: 1946 Murray Bridge, South Australia

• Print Maker

Vicky is one of two children and the only daughter of Edith Kathleen Adams (Kath) and David Herbert Taylor.
In 1952 the family moved to Adelaide where David joined the family business of J.N. Taylor who were importers of cloth for suits, later branching out into boat and fishing supplies.
Kath enjoyed drawing, supported the Arts and took Vicky to Exhibitions.
Vicky cannot remember not drawing.

As an asthmatic child, she spent a great deal of time at home, keeping herself amused by drawing characters from the books she read. Concern about her lack of education was discussed with the Doctor who wasn't unduly perturbed, commenting "with anyone that can draw like that - it doesn't matter".

Vicky commenced her Secondary Education at Girton Girls School, Adelaide (now Pembroke) and there was influenced by Mrs. Lewis a new Art Teacher in her final year. Well liked by her students and a most capable educator, she articulated an insight into the Impressionists that fired Vicki's imagination.

Being her final year choosing a career had been uppermost in her mind and now inspired by Mrs. Lewis she decided definitely to become an Art Teacher.

In 1964 Vicky commenced a 3 year Diploma in Teaching Art course at the South Australian School of Art. During her training she developed a "love for printmaking", which is now her hallmark. During her first year, she met Graham Vickery an organic chemist. Vicky's first teaching job was at Mt. Gambier High School (1967/68) and in early 1969 she and Graham married. In 1969/70 she taught at Salisbury High and in early 1971 they moved to Melbourne as Graham had a position with the CSIRO. Vicky got a teaching job at "Manderville Hall", Loretto Convent, for that year. The next year Vicki had a break from teaching and assisted in a Handicrafts of Asia Shop.

In 1973 she taught Design and Housing at Larnook Teachers College (now part of Rusden), but with Tertiary Institutions becoming federally funded she as a Secondary Teacher couldn't stay.

In 1974 she joined the staff at John Gardinier High School and remained there till she and Graham went to France to live in May of 77. Graham was working as an economist for the O.E.C.D. and Vicky took the opportunity to learn both the language, studying at the Alliance Francaise in Paris and to pursue her interest in Printmaking. Her time at the Atelier de la Main d'or was to be a major influence. The Atelier was run by Agnes Carton de Gramont. Vicky loved the studio. It was small and intimate. She learnt proper techniques particularly in Aquatinting. The students all had different areas of expertise and proceeded to learn from one another. An American girl using colour influenced Vicky to trying it, an aspect that now dominates her work. Vicki, with a group of other artists, took part in her very first exhibition at "Cimaise Ventadour", Paris in 1979 and again exhibition in 1980 at "Atelier 24" Paris.

A breakdown of the marriage occurred and Vicki came back to Melbourne during the middle of 1980. Disjointed and unsettled she house•sat for friends whilst they were overseas, practising etching and printing on a friends press when she got the chance.

From 1981 to 1983 she became a Tutor in Printmaking at the Council of Adult Education in Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Attending "the Field" workshop in South Melbourne in 1981 she met artist Paul Cavell. Paul put out a limited edition book "Lillies at Dusk", an anthology of Etchings, and Vicky assisted in its production as well as printing half the plates for the book. She was included in an Exhibition "Fours Melbourne Printmakers" at the Tynte Gallery in Adelaide that same year. In 1982 she participated at the Honeysuckle Street Fine Arts Gallery, Bendigo in another group exhibition.
Romance blossomed and Vicki and Paul married in 1983. Also in 1983 they set up the Wahroonga Print workshop and Studio in Fitzroy which provided for classes in etching and facilities for printmakers.

In this momentous year Vicky also had her first solo show at the Jester Press Printroom in North Melbourne.
In 1985 the couple opted for a change in lifestyle and moved to Castlemaine.

Since that time Vicki has earned herself an reputation as printmaker extraordinaire especially in this Central Victorian Region.
She has participated in eleven shows including the Dominique Segan Drawing Prize at the Castlemaine State festival the 9 x 5 Exhibition at the Castlemaine Art Gallery and a Three person Exhibition "The female form" at the Bendigo Art Gallery.

Six times her prints have been selected for the Freemantle Print Award.

The Prints and Drawing Show award held at Swan Hill Regional Gallery of Contemporary Art was awarded to Vicky in 1989.

She is represented at the Regional Galleries of Bendigo and Swan Hill in Victoria and the State Library of Victoria.

Vicky's earlier works were a combination of Etching and Aquatints and now uniquely combines colour lino cuts as well. She is using three different techniques to produce one work and I'm not aware of anyone else using this process.
Vicky's style is unmistakable and striking.

Source: Interview with Willi Carney 20th April 1992.