Trendsetter to Know: Artist Taylor Victoria

A typical day in my life includes…Waking up around 5am to go on a trail run, doing a cold plunge/ice bath, spending some intentional moments in meditation and journaling out whatever is floating around in my mind. Then after a healthy, protein-rich breakfast, I will either go into an admin workflow, or gather my paints and head out to the current mural project I am working on. I have gotten better at ending my days at a reasonable hour so that I can carve out time with friends, reading a good book, or taking a yoga class. My day is never complete without some behind the ears and above the tail scratches for my two cats.. whose mortgage I pay and whose house I am privileged enough to live in.

I was born…In the Chicago suburbs and grew up in Geneva Illinois.

My favorite thing about Arizona…is that ya girl can hold a tan year round and the cost of a gym membership is free-99 because I have hiking trails right outside of my front door! I am a huge fan of being outdoors as much as possible and am grateful for our beautiful weather here.

I’m listening to…anything that allows me to have crazy, goofy dance parties! I like a mixture of hip-hop, pop, rap, country music, and for winddown beats I will gladly sway to some yoga music. Occasionally I like listening to podcasts. My current favorite is called “Family Secrets” hosted by Dani Shapiro.

My family…is currently revolved around my newborn nephew that my brother and his girlfriend just brought into this world. The little stud’s name is Alder and I am his self-proclaimed favorite (and only) aunt who is prepared to spoil him rotten for the rest of his life. Both of my parents are still in the Chicagoland area, and my brother and his little love tribe are located in Portland, OR.

If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…Maya Angelou because she has been one of my greatest inspirations. Her words and recordings brought me deep comfort during some dark periods of my life and I am extremely grateful for the life she led while earthside. I turn to her wisdom whenever I need a change in my perspective or a hug for my soul.

Now, if you ask me who I would have dessert with.. Lord knows I am going to say Channing Tatum. Ooooh-weee, that man is dessert!

One thing I cannot live without…good community. We are wired for connection. There have been moments in my life where I suffered alone, tried to hide from showing difficult parts of myself to others, and/or thought that being vulnerable was a weakness. The moments I struggled the most and felt my suffering amplified were perfectly paired with the times I kept community at a distance. In contrast, the times I have felt the most supported, connected, and fulfilled have been when I have allowed community in. I have learned that the key to living a meaningful life is having deep self love within your own being, as well as allowing strong and reliable relationships to act as mirrors and guides.

When I was younger, I wanted to be…An artist who painted the world with bright colors and turned every part of life into an exciting craft that made everyone around me feel happier. I also wanted to be a teacher who led a classroom of students in fun activities on the daily.

I’m inspired by…Children. They come into this world with a clear sense of who they are, their worth as an individual, and innately understand what is their natural birthright. I look to kiddos as a source of inspiration for boundless creativity, freedom in self-expression, and an uncanny ability to turn everything into PLAY.

The one person who motivates me is…My future daughter. Considering I am still a ways off from having kids and there is no real promise I will even have a daughter, this might sound strange. However, the idea of bringing children into the world someday has been a motivator of mine for quite some time. I have navigated some difficult traumas that made an imprint on me. My motivation to heal, deep dive into personal development work, and continue to shift my beliefs about myself and life has been fueled by the desire to make life more beautiful and sweeter for the humans I bring into this world.

If I could change anything in the world, it would be…A push for more Creativity! Creativity has been stripped from classrooms, the work environment, and in everyday life for the sake of convenience.

However, creativity is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Creativity is what allows for innovation, self expression, problem solving, good mental health, and personal and professional growth. I believe Creativity needs to be fostered in every area of life.

The perfect day would be…having a paintbrush in my right hand, palette in my left hand, and a big juicy fresh blank wall in front of me. I live a lot of perfect days and for that I am extremely grateful.

My first job was…Hosting birthday parties for little girls where I braided their hair, led their craft activities, and facilitated their experience.

My favorite escape… is art. I believe the best escapes in life aren’t activities that allow us to disconnect, but rather connect deeper. Art allows me to connect with what is important and what is real, and disconnect from all that isn’t.

My life…is proof that we can turn past pain into our purpose and that passion is the nectar that heals.

I’m currently working on…creating online courses/workshops that parents can purchase for their children as a way to keep them engaged and learning new artistic projects and emotional intelligence life skills. My desire is to transform screen time into an event where parents can either get a break knowing that their child is doing something of value for their development, or provide moments for parents and children to connect over creating together. I hope to roll this out within the next few months.

Always…remember that you have two arms capable of wrapping around your own body for a self hug. We can only experience love and happiness to the degree in which we are willing to give it to our own self.

Never…forget that happiness is a choice and we have the opportunity to change our experience of life in any given moment by changing the lens in which we look through. The quickest most efficient way to do this is through sprinkling gratitude throughout our mind like pixie dust.

Favorite Quote…““I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Biggest Dream…Is it to have a ton of land where I can create an immersive, whimsical, creative experience for all to come and enjoy! I dream of creating beautiful spaces, lined with murals, and that allow for endless imagination and play.

My Pet Peeve(s)…I hate hearing people chew. I get that it is an important function as a human being. But for real, can we make it a quieter experience. I also have a problem with people still thinking it is okay to spit their gum out on the ground. That’s so early 2000’s. We are educated enough to know that no one wants to have gum on the bottom of their shoe. Come on people.