Katherine KT Taylor: Transformed: New Sculptures and Drawings

Katherine “KT” Taylor envisions a world where art fosters a deeper appreciation for the natural world and its delicate ecosystems, sparking conversations on conservation, stewardship, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. For years, her rigorously constructed sculptures have involved “texture swapping”—the meticulous process of capturing the intricate details of various natural textures and seamlessly blending them with unexpected counterparts. While her earlier work incorporated textures from elements like rocks, trees, seeds, and pods, her recent larger-than-life public commissions—such as Our Owl (2026), an 8-foot bronze and stainless-steel sculpture for Abilene Heritage Square in Abilene, Texas—have led her to borrow textures from architecture and everyday objects.

The new body of sculptures in this exhibition reveals a lyrical beauty and a seamless balance between curiosity, discovery and form. Inspired by her recent commission, Taylor notes, “Because the owl sits in front of a brick building, I thought: why should this bird camouflage itself to the trees? It should camouflage itself to the building. Suddenly I started looking at everyday objects differently: potato chips, OREO cookies, breakfast cereal, candy. Everything became a possible sculptural texture.”

In Ruffled Feathers (2026), made of aluminum, the artist transforms the unmistakable texture of a Ruffles potato chip into layered plumage, turning a familiar object into a hyper-recognizable yet strange sculptural language. Her wall work pushes this concept further, repeating patterns of familiar candies and snack foods with subtle interruptions—a missing head, a different expression, or a single object behaving differently—that challenge the viewer’s perception. KT’s recent work emphasizes spontaneity and improvisation, engaging the viewer directly and viscerally.

KT is a prolific artist who divides her time between Texas, the Adirondack Mountains, and northern Spain, where her foundry, Alfa Arte, is located. Recent public sculpture commissions include Prairie Dogs (2023), Museum of the Southwest, Midland, TX; The Lion Family (2024), Easton Park, Austin, TX; Fiona the Falcon (2022), UTPB, Odessa, TX; Pelicans (2018), St. Paul’s School, Concord, NH; Wolf (2023), Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Ketchum, ID; Freddy the Falcon (2025), UTPB, Odessa, TX; and Our Owl (2026), Abilene Heritage Square, Abilene, TX.