Inspired by the Coast – Don Taylor – The South West Coast Path

What inspires your art practice?

I have lived and worked on the Lizard Peninsula for more than 50 years and I have spent a lot of that time, as a child exploring, then as an adult, searching the coastline, looking for driftwood and, later on, looking for the Serpentine stone. The natural shapes of the wood and the stone and familiarity of the coastline inspire my art.

How did you first get interested in sculpture?

I first got interested in sculpting serpentine, in particular, as I do occasionally sculpt wood, when, through a friend, some twenty odd years ago, i discovered that the serpentine stone was fairly soft to carve. This simple bit of knowledge allowed me to develop my sculpture through trial and error.

What are the different approaches/considerations when working with wood, as opposed to serpentine?

I very much tend to use the stone for sculptures and, generally, the wood more for furniture, woodturning and arts and crafts, although I can, and do, combine the two.

Do you plan an artwork before the raw wood/ serpentine piece has been discovered/ collected, or does the sculpture take shape organically?

With the Serpentine it is usually the shape that dictates where it is going. I start working the stone, with a rough idea, then see where it goes, depending on the ‘faults’ within the serpentine. The ideas, design, and problem solving, all happen in my head. I tend not to plan too much, with very few drawings, but let each piece evolve organically. The driftwood can dictate the finished item or i will search through my collection to find the right wood. I collect and dry the native woods, either coppiced or fallen, for smaller items and woodturning.

What influence do you take from the coast and nature?

The coast and nature are hugely influential in my work and wellbeing, I am very lucky to be living so close to the coast and woodland of the Helford river.

What is your relationship with the Lizard Peninsula?

I feel I have a very close relationship with the Lizard Peninsula through my work, family and friends. The materials I use are, for the most part, all collected from around the Peninsula.

Lower Predannack, Lizard Peninsula by Jonathan Garland

How important is the Coast Path to you?

The Coast path is the guide around the Peninsula and gives a feeling of direction, freedom, access and inclusion, without the historical confines of uncompromising landowners.

What’s your favourite section of the Coast Path?

There are so many favourite sections of the Coast Path, but particularly it would be the stretch above Fishing Cove, Gunwalloe from Dollar Cove around to Loe bar and the path from Kennack to Coverack continuing around the raised beach of Lowland Point to Dean Quarry.

How important is being part of Cornwall Open Studios to you?

I have been involved with Open Studios now for nearly 10 years. Firstly at my cottage and workshop, to, now, sharing a lovely space with fellow artists, painters Simon and Becky Jewell and, recently, Wet Plate Photographer, Sharon Aston, it has become very important to me, not only through sales, but an opportunity to develop and test new ideas and to continue creating. As a group ,the people we meet through Open Studios, over the week, inspire us and encourage us which we are all very grateful and humbled by.

About the artist – Don Taylor

I was born in Oxford in the Spring of 1961. At the age of 9 i moved to Cornwall where, for the past 50 years, I have lived and worked, on the Lizard Peninsula.

In my late twenties, after training as a chef and working in the Construction Industry, i started working with Driftwood, selling my work through Galleries.

I am completely self taught and self fraught.

Although I still work with wood and driftwood, in around 2002, and, after a chance encounter, i started working with Cornish Serpentine rock.

Cornish Serpentine, with its unpredictable structures and colour, is unique to the Lizard Peninsula. It has been worked, historically, since 1828. Traditionally it is turned on a lathe but it can also be shaped using rudimentary tools. At one time there were eleven quarries supplying the industry, these are all now closed and abandoned, leaving very few people now working this beautiful rock.

To begin with, I work the rock with industrial tools, in an open field. Held by the foot, shaped by the eyes and the hands using time honoured trial and error. Back in the workshop the pieces are finished using hand tools, and finally polished, with the hands.

Distinctive to my style is keeping the rock rough on the reverse, then smoothing and polishing the front, with shapes and inserts inspired by the neolithic, tribal, Egyptian, African, Indian art and, the rugged shorelines and cliffs that I climb over.