John Taye received a BFA at the University of Utah and an MFA at Otis Art Institute of Los Angeles County.  He is a Professor Emeritus at Boise State University where he taught for 33 years. Taye taught a variety of drawing, painting and sculpture courses there, and has taught workshops at numerous other schools.

Taye has had over two dozen solo exhibitions throughout the West, and he has shown in many group invitational and juried exhibitions throughout the country. His work has been exhibited at the Newport Visual Arts Center, Coos Bay Art Museum, Maryhill Museum of Art, Boise Art Museum, Herritt Art Museum, Salt Lake Art Center, Springville Art Museum, Kimball Art Center, Bountiful Art Center, Museum of Church History and Art, Tempe Arts Center, Mesa Arts Center, Tacoma Art Museum, and the Oklahoma Art Center. University galleries that have exhibited his work include: Boise State University, Idaho State University, College of Idaho, Northwest Nazarene University, College of Southern Idaho, Utah State University, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, and California State Los Angeles.

Taye’s artwork has been featured in several publications, including American Artist, Drawing, Sculpture Review  and Fine Woodworking. He has received awards in exhibitions of the National Sculpture Society, Salt Lake Art Center, Springville Art Museum, Museum of Church History and Art, and the Degas Pastel Society.  His work is in many private and public collections regionally.

Taye draws inspiration from a number of artists and periods, from Dutch still life and landscape painting through French Impressionism. The mood of his work is often peaceful and reflective. His paintings explore the subtle harmonies of color found in the human figure, the natural forms of still life, and the Idaho landscape. Taye also creates figure sculpture in bronze, from small scale gestural pieces to life size commissions, and he carves figure and still life arrangements in wood.

Taye’s work can be seen at the Capitol Contemporary Gallery in Boise, and by appointment in his studio.