About

With a background in Fine Art Painting, Sarah trained for her MA at Chelsea College of Art, London & subsequently was awarded a Jr. Fellowship in Painting at The University of Wales, Cardiff. Since completing a full time practice led PhD at the University of Ulster, Belfast (funded by The Department for Employment and Learning) Sarah’s practice research continues to investigate how painting is situated within codes of class and gender as they relate to questions of aesthetics in painting.

Synopsis of Research: Aspirational Beauty

Taylor's research focus is on her practice as a painter with the intention of examining how this is situated within codes of class and gender as they relate to questions of aesthetics in painting. Her doctorial research (2013) introduced the concept of Aspirational Beauty. The concept of Aspirational Beauty is to understand creative endeavours and practices that are outside of, or marginalized from established theoretical conventions and definitions. The concept of Aspirational Beauty is traced and articulated through a process of writing through multi disciplinary perspectives that incorporate and link painting, history, material culture, literature, sociology and fine art practice. Taylor argues that Aspirational Beauty is a creative resistance to conforming to socially inscribed ideals of respectability. This research considers Aspirational Beauty as a possible position in establishing aesthetic resistance to class shame.