Phil Taylor

I’m a Taranaki based sculptor, working with reclaimed and recycled timber to create organic shell-like structures. Each timber type has its own unique properties, presenting different approaches to shaping and finishing within each sculpture. Using the known, and somewhat fixed parameters at the start of a sculpture, I allow the timber to follow its own path. And while I aim to guide a piece from beginning to end, there is an element of excitement in the creation process and as the final form emerges. To me this is the tie between the timber and the shell form. Both shells and trees each start from a singular point, and yet as they grow to a predetermined pattern, they are a product of their own growth, environment, and struggle. Handcrafted, using recycled timber and unique techniques, to create sculpture that challenges an otherwise ridged medium to appear almost fluid. Compelling and mystifying, digital yet organic.