By Josh Staloch
Staff Writer
More specifically, there’s nothing he’s more passionate about right now than helping the people affected by that struggle through his artwork, which he is selling in order to donate 100% of his proceeds to the cause.
“To get a lot of money for the Ukraine people. It’s my job,” Taylor said when asked what his inspiration for getting involved was.
The young man, who will soon graduate from Syble Hopp, has been following the unfolding conflict on the nightly news and knew early on he wanted to help.
Preston’s father, Albert Taylor, said the idea snowballed into a full-blown project very quickly after the family had kicked around possibilities for what they could do to help. He said the whole thing was thought up by Preston and that he and Preston’s mom, Julie, thought it was a good idea as they had some painting supplies lying around.
The rest falls into place
“We were walking around the neighborhood with the dog and this art bench that he uses, it was just sitting out on the curb,” Albert Taylor said. “We carried it home, wiped it down and shazam, he’s got an art table.”
After Preston had sold five or so paintings, his father said people started asking what the developing watercolor specialist might need in order to continue his philanthropic work.
“We haven’t had to buy anything,” Albert Taylor said. “People just show up with things. The canvases, the paints, all this extra stuff and Preston’s been going crazy with it.”
The results
Preston’s early paintings, which he works on day and night and are made up of vibrant colors, have sold to buyers from as far away as Virginia and Ohio, but a lot of the pieces have been scooped up from folks right here in Green Bay.
Taylor said he is also taking requests now, producing from his (only slightly-cluttered) workspace a photograph of a seascape which someone has commissioned him to paint for them.
By day four, Preston had banked over $200 to be donated to the World Central Kitchen’s effort to feed Ukrainian refugees.
As of this writing, Preston has raised more than $630 on the sale of 37 paintings and the next check he sends out will be going to an organization that specifically helps children with special needs, in honor of World Down Syndrome Day, which was celebrated on March 21.
Preston beams at the thought of being able to help out.
“It feels awesome. Lucky me,” Taylor said.
Those interested in purchasing a piece of Preston’s art can do so by reaching out to his mother, Julie at:
[email protected]