Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Pannell.
Taylor, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m an avid lover of myth and folklore. I’ve been collecting stories all my life and that has naturally transitioned into telling them. I see my work as a way to also explore and accept different aspects of myself; especially the identities of being a mixed-race Black woman and a queer person.
My art tends to fall into three categories: art as activism, art as therapy, and art as escapism.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve known intuitively that art was the way to go. I couldn’t stop creating if I tried. I’ve been lucky, though. My family has been supportive of my work. Mentors and friends have also taught me so much. They’ve picked my discouraged heart up off the sidewalk so many times.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Back to the concept of the three subjects, I’ll address ‘art as activism’ first. Having your eyes opened to the intersectional injustice in our society prompts the question – ‘what can I do?’
My response was art. I want to make pieces that are uncomfortable to look at on subjects that should be impossible to forget. ‘Remember Who You Worship’ was made in December 2019 to challenge whoever claims to be Christian and yet turns a blind eye to kids in cages on our own soil. There should be something deeply unnerving about worshipping a BIPOC refugee child but then justifying the horrific treatment of immigrants at the U.S. border. ‘JUSTICE, and we want it NOW’ was created in response to the George Floyd protests and the response of so many communities in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. I have used that image and the sale of other pieces of art to raise funds to aid the Black community and other oppressed peoples. As a college student still in undergrad, offering my art as a response has been a way to give as much of myself and my resources as I can to helping others.
This transitions into ‘art as therapy’. I’m very interested in self-love, talking openly about mental health, and encouraging recovery that isn’t the slapstick ‘be happy’. My father passed away from cancer when I was 16. I turned to art in my grief and have found that by sharing what I create out of that pain, sometimes people find their healing in it too. That’s more than I could ever ask for. So I do my art to remind others they aren’t alone and that we need each other. But I also turn to it in order to wade through my emotions without losing myself in them.
I’m a big fan of reclaiming the joy I possessed in childhood. Inner child work is a beautiful thing and a large part of that for me has been creating fantasy and science fiction work. Mythology can help us fight our monsters or realize they’re actually our friends here to help us. Escapism to me means that the world gets to be limitless, gets to be filled with magic and wonder. I still think this real-world is magical and wonderful. It’s just not very often I get to, you know, run into mermaids and werewolves in my daily life.
Lastly, an element of my work that is distinct and special to me is the way I portray human expressions. I pay attention to all the elements of a face that give away feeling, or how two faces may reflect different emotions at each other. I love to draw people/humanoids and especially families or friends enjoying time with each other. I draw varying body types, gender expressions, abilities, races, and relationships. Additionally, being able to create gender-nonconforming, queer people in healthy relationships with one another – whether that be romantic, family, or friends – is very meaningful to me.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
My brain is glitching ‘ERROR’ trying to organize the answer/s. Wow. The best I can express is:
We still need each other. People are still good and loving. Darkness doesn’t get the last word.
And healthy boundaries are really important.
Contact Info:
- Email: taylorpannell17@gmail.com
- Website: taylorbpannell.squarespace.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/always.underwater?igshid=10e96vthfzjn5
Image Credits:
My personal portrait was shot by Alycia Jasmine Massey.
