Taylor Smalls is a portrait artist who paints mixed Black women.
As a mixed Black woman herself, her work is rooted in self-exploration.
Theres something about seeing yourself in another personthats what youre gravitating toward.
Youre grasping at bits of them that you want to explore and elaborate on probably within yourself.
Theres something about seeing yourself in another person.
Youre grasping at bits of them that you want to explore and elaborate on probably within yourself.
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Dr. Akilah Cadet:Who is Taylor Smalls?
I want to sit withanybody, honestly, and get to know them and talk to them.
AC: Has becoming a full-time artist created any shifts in your life?
Thats been a really big point of understanding.
I am now diving into a full-time career that I am solely curating.
Beyond the art itself, that includes marketing, finances, advertisingeverything.
Thats been a big shift because previously I just had to show up.
Taking care of myself right now actually looks different in a great way.
AC:Does being a former architectural designer influence your art?
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TS:Being in architectural work professionally without being a licensed architect is fairly creatively stifling.
AC: Is it intentional that you paint only women of color?
What is it about women of color that interests you as your main subject?
What is The Missionary Sex Position?
Not just strictly Black women, but it was mixed women.
I realized all of my subjects I was drawn to were mixed women.
What was the reason for that shift?
This was all 2020 and 2021 work that was my first series where we were home during the pandemic.
There was also a dichotomy between black and white, this really simplereduction between Black and white judgmentspeople hold.
And its just like a really interesting thing.
I was like the color in between that.
I wanted to show that theres so much richness in between those two.
Im not just a Black artist.
Smalls
Its not actually about strictly Black art.
Im not just a Black artist.
So thats why the skin that I paint is extremely colorful and not a direct hue.
I found pleasure in the way water decides its own route.
It was a very obvious physical representation of me not being able to control everything around me.
Working with water ended up feeling like a meditative practice in that way.
The identity that you have?
TS:I surely hope so.
With my work, there are many layers, which is why Ive recently been working with water.
There are layers of people that you cannot control.
The program of the paint is something I cannot control.
Water does whatever the hell it wants.
AC: How did it feel when you learned that Oprah has one of your pieces?
When Oprah then sent me a beautiful letter about the piece, I was just beside myself.
I put the letter in my baby book.
And that was definitely one of those moments.
AC:Whats up next for you, art-wise?
TS:TheThroughline Projectis my current baby, and its projected to debut in the summer.
Its what Ive been thinking about since I left my firm.
We dont always see each others work.
What does it mean to you to keep being amazing?
TS:Im trying to just be present with people.
Thats what makes me feel the best, and I think thats my strongest asset.
Id just like to spend time one-on-one, in person with somebody and be fully present.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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