Artist Taylor Morgan and his team used the terrain of Mission Trails Regional Park as inspiration for one of the custom pieces they created as part of a collection of public art in North City, a mixed-use project in downtown San Marcos. Sculptures and murals throughout the 200-acre site include a recycled art sculpture and 100-foot-tall mural, along with a “prominent desk” dedicated to Morgan at Mesa Rim Climbing Center.
“We started designing the project before the pandemic, and like most of our projects once COVID-19 hit, there were many delays and pauses in the actual construction process. There was a point where we gave all our designs away and moved on to other projects. I think a year and a half has passed. Passed by when we were called to ask if we were still interested in the project,” he says of the resulting cut steel desk with two 20-foot by 3-foot Douglas locally sourced fir panels.
“The scope, schedule and budget have changed, but we knew we had to do everything we could to produce the pieces which we had already put in so much thought and effort, so we accepted the challenge to complete this piece in 45 days. It took several long nights, but miraculously.. The pieces come together beautifully.”
Morgan, 27, is owner and operator of Taylor H. He lives in Leucadia and has taken the time to talk about this project, getting away from Pinterest as part of his creative process, and a perfect weekend in the desert.
s: Tell us about this public art program with North City.
a: North City development places great emphasis on public art and collaborates with local and regional artists, whether they are painters, muralists or sculptors like myself to deliver unique and inspiring works to the community. The installation of murals and sculptures throughout the northern city grounds brings artistic sound and inspiration to this type of urban development.
s: Why was this something I wanted to get involved in?
a: We are always looking for ways to challenge our manufacturing and design expertise, and this was a unique opportunity to help create the artistic culture and atmosphere in the northern city…which was exciting.
s: Can you guide us through your creative process for this piece?
a: Like most of our concept projects, the lead architect designer and I spent several days and nights playing with layouts and shapes, often modeling and presenting a range of options using different materials and shapes. We were fortunate enough to witness the construction of the facility from the concrete plinth to the structural steel construction and were most impressed with the look, design and assembly of the actual climbing walls at Mesa Rim.
We looked at the background of the Mesa Rim and the notable climbing destinations in and around San Diego and ended up finding a GIS map of Mission Trails Provincial Park. We used the topographic model to create the layout and ripples of the office.
What I love about Leucadia…
Love the Encinitas/Leucadia community and the small businesses here. Not many places in San Diego have walkable streets that lead to such a concentrated number of mom-and-pop retail stores as La Paloma Theater or Landmark Plant Co. or Bing Surf Shop.
s: What was your inspiration for this piece?
a: The Bureau of Prominence was inspired by the topographic layout of Mission Hills Provincial Park, and the shapes themselves were created using boundary text that uses the shapes on the actual climbing walls. The practical rock gabion wall behind the desk is actually Mesa Rim’s bird’s-eye view, as you can see from the mountain, and uses locally sourced beach boulders as the filler, an ode to the mountains meeting the ocean.
s: Are you a full-time professional artist?
a: We are a full-time team of artists, craftsmen, designers and architects. Our project scope ranges from furniture, products, interior design, architecture and development. I personally started making fine art in high school and continued my high school education and career in welding, sculpture and architectural design at Mesa Community College. My job started in Phoenix, Arizona, making pieces for local coffee shops and other venues when I was 20, before moving to San Diego to fulfill some contracts six years ago. We have since evolved and worked with many local brands, including Mesa Rim, Ironsmith Coffee, Prager Bros.
s: What made you pursue visual art in this way? What is this form of creative expression that you like?
a: After graduating from college, I was not interested in continuing to welding and had no background in design or architecture. I wanted to pursue wildlife therapy and a non-profit work with Boy Scouts of America. I started welding for local stores in Phoenix while studying for my second degree in Recreation Management at Northern Arizona University, when I was invited to come to San Diego to do some welding contracts. Everything else was learned and developed from there.
s: What inspires you in your work?
a: One of the main rules I have is “no Pinterest”. I’m trying to design things you’ve never seen before. The other media process has also inspired me, and as soon as I learn about a new process, I research it and try to reinvent a method that can be used in future projects. I am also inspired by my surroundings. After working with North City, I was inspired by a vision of increased development to create bespoke, one-of-a-kind pieces that resonate with the community.
s: What has been a challenge in your work?
a: Waste time working and delegating responsibilities. I insist on being a part of every step of the process. Between management, design, manufacturing, and installation, I tend to work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. any day, including weekends. Custom fabrication always has its own challenges, as there is no instruction book on the buildings you design.
s: What was the reward for this job?
a: I love seeing my work come alive and become a part of the community. The sculptures and works I did in North City are now part of the lives of many who are strangers to me. However, my artwork is something they see and walk by every day. It is also worth working with local business owners, artists, and even other professions to learn about their processes and passions, whether it be baking bread, coffee roasting, ceramics, etc. It’s crazy to hear people talk about their worlds, the materials they use, the tools, the process of sourcing. Whenever I hire a subcontractor to help me with a deal I’m not familiar with, I’ll sit there and help and keep an eye on them.
s: What did this job teach you about yourself?
a: I am a yes man. There is always a way to do something.
s: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
a: Lately, I’ve heard about more people in professions outsourcing, delegating, and subcontracting. I used to spend my nights trying to do things outside of my business, whether it was painting, electrical work, caulking window connections, or programming security alarms. I’m learning more to find the right people for the right job, and I don’t always have to figure things out for myself. When every project is different, consult the experts if you want every detail to be expertly executed.
s: What’s the one thing people might be surprised when they find out about you?
a: I was born deaf! I had constricted ear canals when I was born and was basically silent until the age of five, and later learned to speak at the age of seven.
s: Please describe the perfect weekend in San Diego.
a: I enjoy exploring the desert, and make more time on weekends camping, hiking, and riding around the desert.