Maxine Taylor Arts

04/14/2026

Let me first start by saying that I don't watch basketball. I played sports as a child, but certainly not on a court. So, why does this painting resemble such a sport, and why is the title tied to it? Well, from what I do know, and that's rudimentary, traveling in basketball is a no-no. It occurs when a player takes too many steps while holding the ball without dribbling. Thank Google for that definition.

Sometimes, we travel through life without thinking about whether our steps are the right ones or whether they will lead to consequences. The movement and action of life can spur us to do things we don't actively recognize. It is only when someone tells us to stop, or when nature itself intervenes, that we realize it's a misstep in the wrong direction.

"Clear-Eyed Traveler" isn't about missteps. It's the opposite. The white space draws the focus to the center, without distraction. There's a figure in the painting — someone who's been somewhere, carrying the evidence of actions taken, but we don't know what's to come. We only know there's an attempt in play. Notice how the thick black lines frame a "basketball lane." That's the area the player is trying to reach. While it’s a path, it doesn't always follow a straight line. I also have goals I’m trying to reach. When deciding what to do, I allow myself to be guided by intuition—lucky for me, it generally works out.

04/07/2026

I am pleased to share some wonderful news with you, my friends. I've been getting back to entering exhibitions and contests recently, both for online galleries and traditional in-gallery settings. So far, one entry has paid off. I received Special Recognition for "Last Snowfall" in the 17th Annual "Abstracts" Online Art Exhibition with Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery.

I am so proud to join everyone included in the exhibition, especially since, according to the gallery, they "received 660 entries from 31 different countries around the world, as well as from 34 different states and the District of Columbia."

Congratulations to all the artists included! You can view artwork from the artists here: https://lightspacetime.art/abstracts-art-exhibition-april-2026/

03/19/2026

A trio of paintings sold! “Delta” and “Above, Below” have joined “Ocean Splash” in the home of a Florida art collector. It is always an honor when someone purchases my art. Validation? Maybe. I have always considered myself a good artist. Still, I also know that my work does not appeal to a broad audience — and that is something every artist has to reconcile. We cannot be everything to everyone.

Case in point, I have an author friend who refuses to write mainstream fiction, even though it might mean greater commercial success. They don’t want to chase trends forever, and I understand that. I stopped taking art classes because I felt my work would become too similar to my teacher’s. I struck out on my own and developed a style that represented what I was feeling.

I encouraged my friend to keep doing what they’re doing, because someone will always appreciate the work, trendy or not. The same goes for me. And if I sell my work, all the better.

(Left, "Delta" - Top Right, "Above, Below - Bottom Right, "Ocean Splash")

03/03/2026

We've been away for a while, but for good reason. MAXgallery has had a winter transformation — fresh paint on the walls and a new ceiling that completely changes how the light moves through the space. It feels like a blank canvas all over again, and that's exactly the energy we want to bring into our next season of shows. We're looking forward to welcoming both new and familiar artists into this renewed space. Stay tuned!

10/01/2025

The Fayette Street Baltimore T-shirts are back! Show your love for Baltimore and its beautiful rowhouse architecture. Visit MAXgallery to get yours now! We have M, L, and XL tees for $25.00. New colors in stock. They go fast, so don't wait. MAXgallery is open Fridays and Saturdays from 2 pm to 5 pm and 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday, October 4, for the Open Studio Tour Weekend.

09/25/2025

I’ve been thinking about my recent posts regarding my paintings. My thoughts have been complex lately, but they are usually quite simple. Typically, I am not accustomed to discussing my work, as I often let it speak for itself. You’ve heard me say that I want people to bring their own meaning to the artwork while still having my own thoughts on my creations. So, keeping that in mind, I want to share with you my feelings about “Ocean Splash,” but also create space for you to ponder what the painting is all about.

About a month ago, “Ocean Splash” found its way into the home of a collector. For this artwork, I used watercolor, acrylic paint, and oil pastels. You’ll notice that the blues and teals sweep across the paper, building up deep layers reminiscent of the ocean and its hidden nature. There are also some earth tones, which you could interpret as sand or a rocky landscape beneath the waves. Then I used those bold white strokes that appear throughout my work. In this piece, one could say they connect the land and sea.

A friend, who viewed the work before it was sold, said they thought I was painting about relationships - how water shapes rock, how the land, whether in a bay, harbor, or on a coastline, encloses the ocean. I don’t know if it’s that profound, but I understand that land and sea are always in close proximity, even when they are separate.

I was surprised by the feedback from this friend and how they likened the painting to a meditation on the visible and invisible forces in our lives. The ocean represents the vast depths we can’t see and is contrasted with the solid ground beneath our feet. So, I believe there’s something powerful in my friend’s analysis. One thing I do know to be true is that the ocean rushes toward the land before it retreats. And it is this push and pull that teaches us something about holding on and letting go simultaneously.

09/16/2025

This just in!

We're excited to announce that MAXgallery, the home and studio space of Maxine Taylor, is participating in Baltimore's Open Studio Tour weekend, hosted by Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts! We look forward to welcoming guests on Saturday, October 4, to the gallery over the weekend to see artist Maxine Taylor's live-in studio. Stay a while and take in our new group art exhibition, featuring a trio of artists.

09/12/2025

"Baltimore Bird's Eye View" emerged from my ongoing fascination with this city's rowhouse architecture—something that has captivated me since I first moved here in the 1990s. Working primarily in watercolor on paper, the angular forms suggest the repetitive rhythm of rowhouse facades—those windows, doorframes, and brick patterns that define Baltimore's neighborhoods. The vibrant blue passages cut through the warmer tones with an energy that feels right for this city's character.

What I love about watercolor is how it resists being controlled entirely. Those red bleeds occurred on their own, and the oil pastel marks I added later create a completely different texture - one that is more immediate and physical. The green accents scattered throughout the piece are organic in nature. They feel necessary, like glimpses of the small gardens and trees that soften Baltimore's urban landscape.

The white spaces are just as important as the painted areas. They provide the eye with places to rest, such as the sky between buildings or the light that bounces off those distinctive marble stoops. This piece captures something about seeing the familiar from a new perspective - how the city looks different when you're above it all, taking in the patterns and colors that make Baltimore unmistakably itself.

09/03/2025

“Last Snowfall” is a piece that came together through layers of mixed media on 20 x 26" paper. I began with the softer grays, building up those cloudy, overcast tones that dominate late winter days. The burnt orange marks weren’t planned - they emerged as I worked, adding warmth that felt necessary against all that gray. The deep red areas appeared later, grounding the composition in a way the lighter tones couldn’t.

What interests me most about this work is how the bold black gestures interact with the quieter passages. Those dark strokes cut through the piece with distinct energy. The small blue accents scattered throughout felt right - like glimpses of sky breaking through heavy clouds.

Working in mixed media always surprises me. Each material, whether watercolor, pastel, or ink, behaves differently and pushes the work in directions I couldn’t predict. The red pastel isn't fully controlled. This piece captures something about transition that resonates with me - not just the changing of seasons, but those moments when we’re between one thing and the next. There’s beauty in that uncertainty, even when it feels unsettling.

08/29/2025

"Coral Reef" emerged through layers of oil pastel, ink, and acrylic on archival paper, each medium contributing its own voice to the conversation. The blue washes seemed to flow naturally across the surface, creating a glow, while the darker forms take on lives of their own. Some viewers have seen sea anemones swaying in invisible currents, while others discover abstract figures dancing in the depths.

What strikes me most about this work is how the circular motions and shapes breathe on the paper. There's a restless energy here that mirrors the constant movement of ocean life yet also speaks to something more universal—the cycles of growth and decay that affect living things.

As with all my work, "Coral Reef" began with one feeling but revealed others along the way. The coral oranges and deep hues come together in a way that seems random. However, it's not random at all. There's an intention in my subconscious mind. This is how I've always worked - allowing the painting to guide me toward discoveries I couldn't have imagined at the start. I invite you to dive into this piece as you explore an actual reef—slowly, allowing your eyes to adjust and discover the world waiting within.

08/26/2025

Monhegan, The Last Forest (44" x 34", watercolor, 1990), represents one of the many faces of an island in Maine. Once visited briefly, memories remain forever afterward. There is the town of Monhegan itself on the western coast, surrounded landward by interior meadows and marshes.

Conifers of cathedral woods and deciduous trees are scattered over the rest of the islands, up to the very edge of the highest elevation; the eastern headlands-- Burnt Head, White Head, Little Whitehead, Blackhead Bluffs, Pulpit Rock. The beaches on the north, south, and west coasts of the island are as different from each other as the various coasts are from the interior.

As one emerges from the devastated deciduous forests overlooking the headlands, the wild and challenging nature of the view, the winds, and the steep climb all conspire to transform one into a more adventurous soul. Much earlier in my career, I planned to stay for one week, but I'd fallen in love with many aspects of the island, and I arranged for just two more days before leaving.

The many landscapes created on location were a means of attempting to capture the physical shapes of Monhegan. Back in the studio, full of the feelings generated that week, the abstracts grew large, echoing the Monhegan spirit.

08/20/2025

The meaning of art, in its various forms, is often interpreted in diverse ways. A visual artist can create with one or several motivations driving his/her talent. The design of this quest may be obvious or enigmatic. It could be bold or serene. Whatever the artist’s intent within the work, the viewer’s heart and mind may uncover another message.

Take, for example, my painting, Guardian II. It has been described as the birth and, yes… death of an urban culture. I’ve heard rumors of an ominous figure lurking inside, its long arms and defensive stance suggesting calamity. Some have sensed the excitement and activity of a celebration emanating from glowing windows within. Others have just remarked on how fascinating it is.

So, what does this mean to me? This painting was created during the late 90s after I left suburban life for the hustle and bustle of Baltimore City. It was the culmination of many thoughts and feelings during that time. When I create a work of art, it is often nostalgic, filled with frenzied emotion, and quite personal. It begins in one reality but can always progress to another.

In January 2012, I sold Guardian II to a photographer whose lenses undoubtedly capture frames of reality in various subjects. This painting meant something to him that is different for another observer. Remember, with each glance we attempt to draw closer to the artist and their subject(s). When exploring my work, I encourage you to begin at the surface, then discover your own personal connection within its depths.