The artist behind the "Blueboy Brown"

BY BARBARA BORJA, STAFF WRITER

While students typically expect nothing more than a solemn substitute to fll in for their absent t e a c h e r s , those who leave a classroom led by the school's former art l e d b y t h e school’s former art teacher David Greg Taylor often fnd themselves inspired by his artwork and creativity. Maintaining an active role in Miami’s art community for over 60 years, Taylor is currently in the midst of fnishing a series of nine graphic novels that he has been working on throughout his career, the most recent titled “Blueboy Brown.”

Inspired by his father’s embelished accounts of his life, Taylor’s graphic series depicts the daring character traits of his paternal grand-uncle through the life of a 12-year-old boy with the physical features an older man. The authorial decision to portray the protagonist as an emerging teenager is signifcant in the plot of the comics given Taylor’s 25-year career working with high schoolers. It stands as an ode to the delicate intricacy of a maturing child’s mind.

Outlining the social climate in the period since the Civil War, Taylor visually presents the personal adventures of his ancestors in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas through his vivid use of e t c h i n g techniques—a form of p r i n t m a k i n g —which he learned in his time at the Pratt Institute among many other lessons.

“A professor once told me that she did not believe in my art, explaining that it was because it was only about the good, and nobody cared about that,” Taylor said.

Taylor now considers this as the best compliment he has received and holds the encounter as inspiration for a common theme in his art: perseverance. “One of the things this novel is about is why this world is so messed up and what we can do about it,” Taylor said. “We cannot really change the world but we can change small pockets of the world by the things we do.”

Shadowing the artistic techniques of famous artists like Rembrandt, Picasso and Matisse, Taylor classifes his work as part of the Silver Age given his use of etching style enhanced with digital coloring. With his pencil-drawn sketches, which are later scanned and imported into Photoshop to add color, Taylor’s art is comparable to that of Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee. He had devised a method to make it look like his art was made with watercolors. Wishing he had more insightful art teachers as an adolescent, Taylor is passionate about providing students—whether he knows them for a day or an entire semester— with the resources they need to excel in pursuing art. “I really learned how to become an artist when I started teaching. When you become a teacher is when you realize the quality of the teaching that you received,” Taylor said.

After studying art at the Pratt Institute, Taylor pursued a career as an art teacher at various schools across the district including the New World School of the Arts and Miami-Dade College. His main focus with his work, whether he is sketching or teaching is to make an impact on his community’s collective understanding of art.

“Maybe [my art] will plant a seed [of inspiration], maybe my old man’s insight will help some kid, that is why I make art,” Taylor said. h

TALK HOME The highlights staff records what students are talking about during online class sessions. “You guys will have senior skip day, we have senior skip months. We are not the same.” “At least I can’t be punished for breaking the 10/20 rule anymore.” “Forget college, I don’t even have a full ride to my house!” “My teachers can’t see my tears anymore but the water damage on my computer can.” “Good morning everyone, who wants a room tour?” “I’m sorry, sir. I left my homework at home.” CREATIVE COMICS: David Greg Taylor’s characters Blueboy Brown and his brother Jobie are running because they’re afraid of danger.