Bernie Taupin

Born in the United Kingdom in 1950, Bernie Taupin is a lifelong visual artist. In the early 1990’s, painting became the main thrust of his creative endeavors; in decades prior he penned lyrics for Elton John, Rod Stewart, and Alice Cooper. In his early work as a painter, Taupin was inspired by groundbreaking Abstract Expressionists including Hans Hoffman, Franz Kline, Anselm Kiefer, and Robert Rauschenberg.

Taupin says, “As in any creative field, we start by emulating work we like, following the path that ultimately leads to finding our own vision, a style we feel is original and unique in its own beliefs, on its own merits.”

Taupin’s artwork evolved from Ab-Ex explorations to a level of self-identification followed by experimentations with text-based content and minimalist Pop Art concepts. By 2016 and 2017, works became sculptural constructions off and through the canvas and bound with cord and wire. Works were expressed with found objects, repurposed material, and artifacts. Taupin’s multi-layered creations include manipulated flags, scorched paper, wax, wire, wood, corrugated cardboard, fabric, bubble wrap, and resin.

“The imagination is the most powerful tool artists possess, enabling us to conjure up beautiful distractions for the eyes and ears.
My dimensional work is simply the visual extension of what I have spent my life creating through words.”

—BERNIE TAUPIN, 2017