Taylor Bamgbose: Creating a Space for Deeper Self-Awareness
Feelings Come, Feelings Go. Acrylic & oil on canvas. 36x48 in. 2022.
I'm Fine, Everything's Fine. Acrylic & oil on canvas. 20x20 in. 2022.
Sit With It. Acrylic & oil on canvas. 36x48 in. 2022.
Artist Taylor Bamgbose.
The Only Way Out is Through. Acrylic & oil on canvas. 36x48 in. 2022.
The Verdict. Acrylic & oil on canvas. 30x24 in. 2022.
We All Need Somebody to Lean On. Acrylic & oil on canvas. 30x40 in. 2022.
Website: taylorbamgbose.com / Instagram: @taylorbamgbose
Based in Indianapolis, IN, artist and certified life coach Taylor Bamgbose finds inspiration for her work through personal life experiences. Becoming a life coach has helped Bamgbose to understand herself better, and has provided her with a new perspective regarding our common struggles, unhealed wounds, and shared desires as humans. With these themes in mind, she aims to create a space for deeper self-awareness within her practice.
How did your creative journey begin?
My creative journey began when I was a little girl, spending hours learning to draw people. Back then we didn't have YouTube or online courses, so I bought books that would teach how to draw different facial features and expressions, and I would practice for hours in my sketchbook. I never envisioned that I would become a full-time artist one day—it was just a very satisfying, absorbing hobby.
Over the course of my childhood and high school experience, I took some general art classes where I dabbled in other mediums and skills, like printmaking, sculpture, and more.
But it wasn't until a random weekend in the fall of 2018 that I really fell in love with painting. My husband was out of town and I decided to go buy some canvases and paint to occupy myself. I quickly became obsessed and made three pieces in one week. They weren't amazing quality, but I was hooked. I kept making work from there, and got my first opportunity to show in February of 2019. I sold a few pieces at the show, and that was the first time I really thought about making my art into a business.
Later that year I got a studio, and things grew from there. My skills kept improving, I learned how to work with oil paint, and started getting commissioned work as well as more exhibition opportunities. At the end of 2019, I quit my job and began working as a full-time artist.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
My inspiration comes from a variety of sources. Sometimes it's my own personal experience, sometimes it's sparked from conversations with friends or family, observations of the world around me, or things I see in movies and books.
The goal of my work is to create space for deeper self-awareness, so I like to design collections that explore different facets of who we are and how we operate as humans, for better or worse, and use the individual paintings to challenge the viewer to reflect on how that idea, emotion, or pattern may be showing up (or not) in their own life.
How has your work evolved over the last few years?
When I first started painting, I didn't have any sense of personal style, nor a guiding theme for my work—I just liked the act of creating. As I created more and more work, I started noticing the techniques and aesthetics I was returning to over and over, and I started leaning into a style with more intentionality. I also spent more time understanding art's purpose in my life, and noticing what my audience was resonating with as well.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you, and how has your art practice grown or changed?
On any given day, I'm typically working on several pieces at the same time, in various stages of completion. I like to make sure I always have something that I can make forward movement on. While I'm painting, I'm usually listening to podcasts, music, or I have a show on in the background that I've seen a million times.
I do all the ideation for my collections before I ever get anything on canvas. First, I mock them up on my iPad, then sketch them out on canvas before painting them in. So by the time I'm painting in my studio, I'm not making any more choices—just executing what I've already planned.
Using Procreate and the iPad to plan my pieces in advance is a relatively new practice for me, and I feel that it's made me much more efficient, as well as taken out some of the anxiety and creativity block I used to face. Plus, I have more confidence now that my collections will feel cohesive, rather than piece-meal.
Which experiences have impacted your work as an artist?
The most important experience I've had that has impacted my work as an artist has been the year I spent getting certified as a professional life coach. I've always had an interest in psychology and human behavior, and I wanted an outlet through which to explore that passion. Becoming a coach has helped me not only understand myself better, but has given me a window into some of our common struggles, unhealed wounds, and shared desires.
These topics have become amazing fuel for me to use in my artwork, and have contributed to the overall purpose of my work—creating space for deeper self-awareness.
How has social media impacted your art career?
Social media has been a great way for new collectors to find my work, and for people to connect with my subject matter. It's also a great tool for letting people know about upcoming shows and open studio opportunities so I get a chance to meet people in person.
What are your future goals and aspirations?
One thing I love about my current art practice is that I'm able to bring together my passions—coaching, painting, and writing. For every piece I make, I put a pretty extensive description with it that usually includes an observation or some reflective questions to guide my audience in personalizing the painting to their own experience.
I'd love to continue that convergence in the future, perhaps by putting together an illustrated coffee table book of essays on topics relating to personal growth, or something along those lines.