Featured Artist Ilse Taylor Hable

Artist Ilse Taylor Hable shares a collection of oil paintings that capture the beauty in everyday life. View more of her compelling portfolio on her website.

 

painting of girls running on the beach by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Watching the Girls” oil on linen, 24″ x 18″

 

For as long as I can remember, art has been an important part of my life. I preferred pencils and crayons to toys and spent a considerable part of my early childhood drawing and coloring. Success at art competitions in school motivated me further and, as it turns out, art would never let me off the hook.

 

painting of Durnstein in Austria by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Austria, Dürnstein in Winter” oil on linen, 20” x 16”

 

I eventually went to one of the two art academies in my home town, Vienna, Austria. There I enjoyed studying design, human anatomy and figure drawing among other subjects. I pursued a career as fashion designer, which landed me a job in Mexico City. During my ten years there, I traveled quite a bit throughout Mexico and fell in love with its colorful culture and its people. I continue to visit and paint in Mexico often.

 

painting of a woman with chickens by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Chickens for Sale” oil on linen, 16″ x 20″

 

Drawing has always been a constant in my life, but a new adventure was waiting after quitting the design job and moving to California—it was oil painting!

 

landscape painting of the Valley of Temples by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Valley of Temples” oil on canvas, 25.5″ x 25.5″ x 2″

 

I actually hadn’t fully understood the complexity of color until I met my teacher, Sebastian Capella. He was a master painter from Spain who taught me about the three aspects of color—hue, value and chroma, and made me aware of Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, whose art became my North Star.

 

painting of early fishing by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Early Catch” oil on linen panel, 16″ x 12″

 

I also admire the work of John Singer Sargent and that of many other, more contemporary artists who paint some form of realism today and for whom good drawing is fundamental. Let me mention John Asaro, Wolf Kahn, Albert Handell and Ray Roberts, whose workshops I attended and who helped me to further develop my own style.

 

landscape painting of Lake Cuyamaca Pier by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Lake Cuyamaca Pier” oil on linen panel, 24″ x 18″

 

I love plein air painting and try to do it as often as possible, but am also happy painting larger works in my studio. The joy I feel, in both cases, is in the process—the state of total immersion and right brain activity. I love both being outdoors in harmony with nature, surrounded by its sounds or silence, or in the studio accompanied by classical music.

 

landscape painting of Lake Titikaka by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Lake Titikaka” oil on canvas, 36″ x 18″ x 2″

 

I love to paint the human figure as well as landscapes. I have a great passion for nature and a great affection for color. Always looking for interesting compositions and compelling visual beauty, I try to respond to what moves me. Beauty doesn’t seem to be in high esteem in today’s art world, but it definitely motivates me. Not the sweetened or stereotype kind of beauty, but beauty that is not readily visible to everyone.

 

painting of boats being put into the water by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Into the Blue” oil on canvas, 39.5″ x 39.5″ x 2″

 

In any everyday scene there can be beauty related to line, to design and composition, light and shadow, as well as color contrast. I make it my task to discover it and put it down on canvas, in the hope that it will bring the same joy to others as it did to me.

 

painting of a man leading a donkey by Ilse Taylor Hable

“Tapalpa Donkey” oil on linen, 24″ x 18″

 

I have had eighteen solo shows and thirty-nine group shows and have participated in the creation of three monumental murals. I have taught art off and on to elementary school kids and to artists who want to improve their work—I always feel that I learn something myself when teaching.

 

artist Ilse Taylor Hable painting en plein air

Artist Ilse Taylor Hable painting en plein air

 

Continuing to learn and improve is my goal, focusing on keeping color and drawing fresh and immediate, simplifying whenever possible and expressing a lot with as little effort as possible. As my teacher Sebastian Capella often said, “If you can do it with one stroke, don’t use two.”

 

Artist Ilse Taylor Hable invites you to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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Comments

  1. Ilse,”
    I really like your vibrant colors of the water in “Lake Titikaka” and “Into the Blue”.
    Ann Marie

    • Dear Ann Marie,
      Thank you very much. The day I visited Lake Titikaka was unbelievably bright and clear, probably due to the high altitude and the cold, crisp winter air. I am glad it came through in my painting!
      Into the Blue is describing a scene I witnessed in Sayulita, Mexico. Here it was the pattern in the water that attracted me.
      Again, thanks for commenting!
      Regards,
      Ilse

  2. Pedro Fernandez Somellera says

    Asombroso Ilse…! Bellísimo…! Cada día más detalles, más luces y brillos sorprendentes…! Felicidades.
    Pedro Fernández Somellera

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