Review: Sunny Taylor's CONNECTIONS Reflects the Inevitable Passing of Time

Review: Sunny Taylor’s CONNECTIONS Reflects the Inevitable Passing of Time

2 min read

Maya Angelou tells us: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This quote resonated during my visit to the opening of Sunny Taylor’s exhibition, “Connections” now on display at Nuart Gallery through April 11 in Santa Monica.

Paintings, like people, cannot be fully appreciated on a small screen. Experiencing the work firsthand left me with a sense of deep connection, calmness, and beauty—the kind of quiet beauty that reflects the inevitable passing of time. Taylor’s palette of earth and skin tones suggests a profound human connection to the land. Although the formations are geometric and hard-edged, the multiple layers of paint provide a sense of history that allow the pieces to breathe, making them some of the most organic and immersive works I have seen in a long time.

The layering suggests an eternal cycle of structures being built, torn down, and overrun by nature. This sense of history allowed me to wander through soothing breezes and sunlight, unveiled by warm umbers and cooling seafoam teal. Colors fading like memories bleached by the sunlight of the passing of time. Additionally, the cheeky hot pinks peeking through the layers is a classic technique, powerfully tying the compositions together. A brilliant move by this superb artist.

These paintings truly capture how a place makes you feel. Given everything going on in the world and the recent heat wave, I found I needed to be in these spaces created by Taylor. These works evoke a profound sense of oneness and a deep appreciation for the history within both natural and human made structures.