FRANK TAYLOR: 19th CENTURY HARPER’S WEEKLY ARTIST’S ILLUSTRATIONS ON DISPLAY
CLAYTON, NY (May 16, 2023) – The Thousand Islands Arts Center (TIAC) is pleased to announce the opening of Among the Thousand Islands: The Work of Frank Taylor on June 7. Taylor (1846-1927), both an illustrator and reporter, was assigned by Harper’s Weekly to cover the Thousand Islands in 1881.
The exhibit features Taylor’s engravings and paintings of island cottages, river scenes from the late 1800s, Alexandria Bay’s Crossman’s House, and a well-known bird’s-eye map of Clayton. According to Nancy Gustke, TIAC exhibition collaborator and author of The Special Artist in American Culture: A Biography of Frank Hamilton Taylor (1846-1927), “Taylor was a wonderful promoter of the beauty of the Thousand Islands. His paintings of the area, and his illustrations for Harper’s Weekly and tourist brochures, introduced the St. Lawrence River to a nation-wide audience. You couldn’t find a better advocate with such a far-reaching influence. Taylor’s Shady Ledge cottage on Round Island can be seen in his many watercolors. The cottage was his respite from a demanding life as a field reporter based in Philadelphia. As is true for many residents now, the Thousand Islands helped rejuvenate him both physically and mentally.”
Taylor’s works will be on display from June 7 through July 1 with a reception on Wednesday, June 28 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The reception open to the public. Admission to the exhibition is free to TIAC members. TIAC has a suggested donation of $5/adult for non-members. Any contribution is greatly appreciated.