Where in the world am I today?: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Prologue: I was made aware of Ulla many many years ago through her work with Chalk Circle and I have vivid memories of photographing some of the work that they had created at the 2001 Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival when I was in Edmonton for the Comedy Arts Festival in January of 2002. In 2004 we actually got to spend some time together at the Windsor Busker’s Festival and in 2006 she was a part of the PNE Street Star’s Program. Over the course of the 17 days of the Pacific National Exhibition I thoroughly enjoyed watching her images take shape and would often stop by with a cup of coffee to help make the long days at the fair that much more enjoyable. Ulla is a gifted artist and I often find it a pity that the art she creates eventually fades as a result of the elements… Perhaps this is a nice reminder that nothing in life if forever…
STATS
Name: Ulla Taylor
Birthday: March 22, 1969.
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Australia.
Started Peforming/Working in the Industry: 1987.
Discipline: Pavement Art
Websites: www.ullart.com
Venues Worked: Mostly street festivals, but I also do workshops for events and schools, and corporate (advertising) work.
Hot 10 Questions:
- What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Vanilla, not too sweet…but on a hot summer day I’d go Lemon gelati please.. Tangy, light and not too sickly sweet.
- Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films. • “Brazil”
- What was your favorite toy from childhood? • I loved my cubby house, “the Teabag”, on my nanna’s property at Kinglake, and running around in the bush all weekend…
- Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • I always found Rolf Harris pretty interesting, with his singing and painting.. I liked the idea of the “renaissance man” who could paint and travel, and practice philosophy and science, which is why I chose an art career as I thought it was free enough to practice many things.. In regards to pavement art specifically, working with Bev and Peter from Chalk Circle gave me the courage as a young artist to practice and play on the street while earning some dosh, plus other great street artists like Kurt Wenner and my colleague Jenny McCracken… oh ok all of my colleagues at some stage or another.
- From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • I liked Bugs Bunny, but Sylvester was my favourite and I can’t remember why. I hated Road Runner, and I think maybe that’s because I kind of related to the poor old coyote.
- Name something that scares you. • The thought of anything yucky happening to my gorgeous daughter.
- Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. •Receptionist/clerk/ in my step mother’s foreign language text book company. The best part of that job was working out the complex puzzle of a Unix-based typesetting program to produce the annual 100 page book catalogue (well before the user-friendly interfaces of mac and windows. .ft AB, .sp .5c, .in 1c, blahblah).
- What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Wood carving, big sculptures.. though I think my wrists and elbow are a little too worn out for chainsaws and chiselling.
- What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Lugging a big heavy work kit, and dealing with icky stuff on the footpath.
- If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Welcome!”
The Nugget:
Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.
“It’s not what you do, but the way you do it” Mae West, I think, quoted by another pavement artist.”
–Ulla Taylor
