The artist grew up with two parents from Mexico in an migrant community in the San Joaquin Valley, where he found a form of creative inspiration watching his parents be resourceful to make ends meet. Taylor fondly reminisces about this childhood, in particular of an intimate conversation with his father telling him, “you have to look with your mind, not just with your eyes.” His craft immerses the viewer in a total experience of the natural beauty of the Americana desert and panoramic vistas of landscapes embedded with historical influences. Captivation with the outdoors, started for Taylor with his first visit to Sequoia National Park. We spoke about his notorious use of Sombrero hats, what part American iconography has to play in his work, and the meaning of colour.