Fast Confession - E. J. Taylor: Donna Karan was my Schoolmate

You have mentioned that you came to see Prague for the first time a decade ago.

When I was twelve, perhaps fourteen, I saw an article in a magazine - at that time it was probably the most important magazine in America; it no longer exists. And on the front cover there were eight photographs from an animated film produced here in Prague, by a very well-known illustrator and painter, Jiří Trnka. I thought that that was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and I wanted to know how it is done. So I associated these beautiful images with Prague. But after that it still took many years before I came here. When I first came to Europe, I moved to London, Paris and so on, until I finally told myself ten years ago that I will go to Prague. Then, when I walked across the Charles Bridge, I told myself: "This is the place where I want to be!"

But you still have never lived here?

No, never.

Do you think that Prague would then loose its magic?

Perhaps, I do not know. I had lived in London within the theatrical community, where there was plenty of actors and artists, I worked in the theatre, then I lived in Germany. When I come here two weeks ago, I knew that that journey was very important. I cannot explain it. I did not know how and what exactly, but I knew that something beautiful will happen. And it did. The people that I taught here were incredible and eager to learn.

Prodej bytové jednotky 2x 1+kk, Praha, Praha 2

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I wanted to come back here and have a reason for doing so. So I can come back now, perhaps in six months´ time, we shall see. When here in central and eastern Europe I talk to students, they understand what I am doing. For artists it is very difficult when people are not listening, cannot see, cannot hear. Then the artists are invisible. Here the people listen, see, hear and ask for advice.

From which part of the United States do you come from?

I was born in the north-west part of the Pacific, so near Washington and Oregon.

I have read that you come from a farming family. How did someone who looked after animals became such an artist?

We were not only farmers but also fishermen. We had cows, and when i was a kid I used to milk them. We also had horses and sheep, it was beautiful when the lambs were born. I think that I had a very special childhood. But I used to ask myself why am I here? Why am I not in New York, London or Paris?

I think that if something is too easy, you don´t work hard enough to get on. People told me that it was brave to leave the hometown, to go to New York City and attend art school. I went to the best art school and I was surprised that they wanted me there.

You did not have any bursary?

I did not. My father was a fisherman, he gave me a lot of support and believed in me.

And he believed that you will be the best artist in the world?

He knew that I had something special. My father was very charismatic, he was great. I always knew that I have his support. We lived in a community, I wouldn´t say of farmers, but in a community of people, whose lives are very closely linked with nature, with animals and plants. We lived by a river and in summer we went to Alaska, to a remote island of Kodiak. We flew to the city of Anchorage and then by a small water aircraft to Kodiak. I sent my childhood on a fishing canoe and played with Red Indian children who lived there.

When I came back after four years, I started to go to school. My teacher was a teacher of arts that in our city could not find a job in the field of art, so for three years she taught small children. The first day of school she came in front of us, gave us paper and crayons and told us to draw what we did in the summer. So I drew Alaska, the fishing canoe, reindeer, bears…

You had seen bears?

Yes, they went to the stream behind our house. At the beginning of summer salmon came to spawn, so there were hundreds of fish. Bears dived there to catch them.

And what did your teacher say about the picture?

I told my students about it. She raised it above her head and said in front of everyone: "This is how you draw a tree, this is how you draw the clouds." I had no idea. Already in such an early age she was able to appreciate my gift. She told me: "You don´t know it yet, but you are an artist!"

And now just a few days ago here in Prague in a group of students there were two beginners who created an amazing work. I had to work with them more than with the others, but I kept going. One of them painted a great work and when she finished, I picked up her creation and said in front of everyone: "Look at it, it is original, very beautiful." She had no idea that she could do something like that. But when you tell someone that his work is good, it rises his self-esteem and he can achieve more. I know how important this is, and therefore I do it with my students.

Tell me how you first came to New York and about the story with Tiffany´s. How old were you actually?

Around twenty, I do not know exactly.

Because I keep imagining you as a young boy from a village, who comes for the first time to New York at twenty years of age and suddenly he is approached by Tiffany´s at 5. Avenue, the most expensive street in the city.

No, I approached them. I went to New York twice, the first time I was 19. In my youth I had good art teachers, but later on not any more. I knew that in this respect I have to take care of it myself and in one magazine there was an advertisement of art schools in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. I found a school in New York City, called Art Students League, which is very famous. The best thing about it was that you did not need to submit any portfolio, nor any application, you just came. I was nineteen, I persuaded my family to allow me to leave. I found some accommodation, even though I wasn´t at that time too concerned with practical issues. Did I know that this was the right path to realise my dream? No, it was just instinct.

Dům na prodej 7kk - Praha 6, 232m2, Praha 6

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The entire summer I went to see old movies, about which I did not even know that they exist, from those with Greta Garbo to musicals in Broadway. Throughout the summer I also went to school and painted and painted. From those creations which I then took with me back home, I then made a portfolio, with which I applied to Parsons School of Design. Although my mother did not entirely persuade me to come back, I knew that it is my dream and that I must do it. The school accepted me and for three years I studied "fashion design” there. One of my classmates was also Donna Karan who posed as a model for me when I trained painting. Although I don´t like fashion design; it is not a world in which I would feel comfortable, it gave me a lot for my subsequent work.

And what was the story with the Tiffany´s storefront?

First of all, it needs to be said that many of us have fallen in love with Audrey Hepburn. I myself fell in love with her after I have seen the Green Mansions, some other films and then Breakfast at Tiffany´s. I wanted to go to New York and live there. I was even inside Tiffany´s, but it is not exactly a nice place, because you must be really very wealthy to be able to buy anything there. However, from the outside it is fine. (laughter)

G. Moore was then the main window display artist, later on he became my very good friend. I knew that I had a great idea for them and that I simply want to dress their window. It took me a few weeks, but eventually I took the courage and called them. Moore had an assistant, who always took his phone calls, but on that day he answered the phone himself. I introduced myself and asked to whom I can speak to, and he said that I can speak with him. Then asked me what I´m doing on Tuesday at three o´clock.

You were lucky…

I was, and you know what? He looked at my work and told me that it was very good. Then he asked me how I would like to present the storefront, to come back with some designs. But I was young and naive, and I could not believe that my work interests them. I thought that he was just being polite. But I had a friend who was constantly persuading me to call them, until I finally did, otherwise I would never do it myself. When I did call, Moore again answered himself and asked where I was and why I took so long to come back. So I came back with my designs, which he liked. Straight away he took out his diary and put down a date. I think it was February and he put down the end of September.

I have tried on the internet to trace down which year it was, but I was unable to find it.

Perhaps in 1976, I am not sure. However, when the time came, I've done some preparation and I went there. I looked at the window and thought, I asked myself: "This is it, is this my dream?" At that point I realised how important it is to me that people see, perceive and understand my work. It is not about praise, but about the process of the work. That is what I like so much about it. That is why I am so happy here in Prague, working with students.

I that time I didn´t have a phone, I was so poor. But about ten days later, I received a letter. Harold Prince, a genius and king of Broadway, who had, together with Stephen Sondheim, written many musicals such as the Fiddler on the Roof, A Little Night Music and the like, saw my work at Tiffany´s, when he was passing by. He told his secretary to call Tiffany´s to find out a contact for the author. So they wrote me a letter and wanted to buy one figure. This was the first time that I have sold anything.

That´s funny, now you sell your works before they are made. I therefore want to ask, and you don´t have to answer, how much is one such figure worth?

A lot.

What do you do with all the money? You are a millionaire and you don´t even need to work anymore, isn´t that so?

That is not true. I am not a millionaire. (laughter)

You should be...

Thank you, but I am not. I would like to be, but I am not. I believe in one thing... A lot of artists´ primary interest is money, to earn it. Money is important, we must have a place to live, to eat. But for me the main thing is the work, it must be perfect. I always make sure that what i do is good. When the artist completes the work, it must speak for itself, independent of the author. You need to be sure that when the work is complete, it has its own voice.

Mr Taylor, thank you very much for your time. I hope that your voice will be heard for a long time.