Responding with whatever materials are most suited to interpret the meaning of a place, from paint, steel, and cement to words, I’m driven by a need to understand the impact of location and history: I think of myself as a visual historian. Inspired by large-scale media in Los Angeles, including the famous Coppertone billboard installed on a garage door in Malibu, and master muralist Kent Twitchell’s “Steve McQueen,”  I’ve been creating site-specific murals, installations and paintings for since 1977. My work is in private and corporate collections from coast to coast, and in Kyoto and Paris, including forty or fifty publicly placed mural and sculpture projects in the Sacramento region, some so old they’ve disappeared.

Whatever the project, over my long career the concept of adaptation has been critical. I’ve had to be quick on my feet, looking five years ahead, and now even shorter. That’s what sent me to grad school to study sculpture and theory.

From 2011 to 2019, I was a freelance Op_Ed contributor to the Sacramento Bee, and now, again in 2024.

Press

2024 essay in the Sacramento Bee about California’s iconic tomato.

Link to my essays in Bee (if you have a subscription. Otherwise…sorry.)

June 2024, Canvas Rebel Interview.

Resume

1977-present: Stephanie Taylor Studio

2011-2019 & 2024  Writer: freelance contributor to Op-ed section, Sacramento Bee
Licensed artist to Disney’s Fine Art Collection for several years
Early career: Publishing and advertising art director, Los Angeles, CA

EDUCATION

2019  Stanford continuing education: drawing
2004-2006   CSUS, Masters in Sculpture
1974-77    UCLA, BA in History / Economic Philosophy
prior   Extension: Art Center College of Design, LA & Chouinard (Cal Arts), LA

PUBLICATIONS AND FILMS

2021 American Science Magazine “Comstock’s Magazine” A Rain Garden Concept for Capital Mall
2013    “Paperclay: Art and Practise,” by Rosette Gault, U of Penn., 119  & 133.
2011-2019   Sacramento Bee: California Sketches, Sacramento Business Journal
2006-8   Sactown Magazine
2004    Sacramento Bee
2003   Ceramics Art and Perception, Australia,  American Craft Magazine
2002   Sacramento Bee
2001   Feature film, Los Angels
San Francisco Hilton Murals, mini documentary
PBS short film Arts Alive
Wall Street Journal, Top Ten Hotel Properties
Design International Magazine
Designer’s West Magazine
Kodak’s More Joy of Photography
German Art Calendar of International Mur

COLLECTIONS AND COMMISSIONS

A Selection – Please note that over a multi year career making art for public places, projects come and they also disappear or are degrading, as have some of the following. I’ve learned, even though there are federal and state laws to protect artist’s right, to protect my rights…or just let go.
International
Disneyland Hotel, Paris, France
Shoji Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
National
Bally’s Casino, Las Vegas
Crown Plaza, New York
Disney Institute, Disneyworld, Orlando
Grand Floridian Beach Resort, Disneyworld, Orlando
Harvey’s Resort, South Lake Tahoe
Hilton Hotels, New Orleans, San Francisco, Oakland
Hyatt Hotels, Atlanta
Marriott Hotel, Washington D.C
Sheraton Resort, Tucson
California
California Association of Realtors, Sacramento & Los Angeles
City Hall, City of Indian Wells
City Hall, City of Los Angeles
Columbia Pictures, Los Angeles
Crown Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles
Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim
First Interstate Bank Branches, Southern California
Fluor Corporation, Irvine
Hilton Hotels in Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles
Hyatt Hotels in Sacramento, Los Angeles, Atlanta
Manhattan Beach, four exterior murals, 1979-82
MGM Studio, Los Angeles
Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood
Scripp’s College, Claremont
Six Flags Corporation, Los Angeles
Stephan Cannell Productions, Los Angeles
Sutter Medical Centers, Santa Rosa, Antioch
Texaco Corporation, Los Angeles
UC Medical Center, Los Angeles, Sacramento
United California Bank branches, Southern California
Waterfront Plaza, Jack London Square, Oakland
Wells Fargo Bank, Los Angeles
Xerox Corporation, Los Angeles
Sacramento
Including over 40 publicly placed installations, 22 of which are exterior murals and sculpture.
Beer’s Books, Jack London Mural
California Exposition and State Fair
California State Library Foundation
California State Railroad Museum
Crocker Art Museum
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Kaiser Hospital
Sacramento Public Library
Sacramento Regional Transit Headquarters
Sacramento River Cats, Raley Field
Sutter Hospitals
The late Senator Leroy Greene’s Capitol office
UC Davis Medical Center, since 1986
Water Education Foundation

PUBLICLY FUNDED ART PROJECTS

Sacramento Metro Arts Commission, Fremont Park Project. installed 2011.
Sacramento Metro Arts Commission, Valley-Hi Library, Sacramento, CA., 2009
Lecture to Crocker Art Museum on public art projects in Sacramento, 2006
Finalist, Sacramento City Hall, in two areas, Sacramento Metro Arts Commission, CA
California Department of Transportation, Freeway wall & underpass proposal, Sacramento, CA
City of Manhattan Beach Mural Project, CA (over 8,000 sq.ft.)

EXHIBITIONS

Solo and group, almost every year from 1988 to 2008, 2016 to 2019.