Roy Taylor - Seascape

Original Roy Taylor.  Size 900 x 650 mm

Roy Taylor passed away in 2000.

Roy Taylor played clarinet for the navy band and served in Egypt and Italy during World War II. After he was de-mobbed he came back to South Africa where he formed and played in a number of dance bands all over the country. In 1952 he decided to give up music and pursue a career in painting and was hugely successful.

For 30 years he lived and worked in Westville, painting oils of the Natal Coastline and the ‘Berg’ and gathering a loyal following of private and corporate collectors. He loved Natal and was very positive about the future of South Africa and was always very concerned about his fellow artists. On more than one occasion I witnessed him buying paintings of fellow artists because he knew they were going through difficult times. He once gave R5,000 to a Cape Town artist because he couldn’t bear the thought of the man not being able to buy materials. He hardly knew the man.

Roy was very private, very intelligent, loved music, loved this country and loved being an artist. He is gone, but his gentle pastel coloured oils will live on and be treasured for years to come.