Jon Taylor is a production designer, concept artist, muralist and illustrator working in the themed attraction industry. He specializes in developing the overall guest experience for theme parks, museums, zoos, aquariums, and planetariums.
Notable credits include LEAD Production Designer for the Ark Encounter theme park, Art Director and Senior Exhibit Designer for the Creation Museum, and LEAD Production Designer and Muralist for the Cook Museum. He has produced numerous illustrations for national brands in the toy and publishing industries.
Jon grew up in São Paulo, Brazil. His fascination with the arts began as a child watching his father perform to large crowds through chalk talk painting. While his early years didn’t provide many opportunities for any sort of formal art training, Brazil’s rich, creative culture had a profound influence on directing him towards a career in the arts.
Jon had the privilege of training under Brian Jekel, perhaps one of the most prolific Bible illustrators of this generation. This training opened the door for him to work in the toy industry as an Illustrator for IAM Studios, Inc.
Like his father, Jon enjoys connecting with audiences through live performance painting using both traditional and digital media. He is passionate about traveling the world, influencing the next generation to greatness, and creating visual experiences that capture peoples imaginations.
LEARN MORE: www.jontaylorstudios.com
Here Jonathan Taylor is painting an illustration for Answers magazine,. This illustration won a national award the following year.
24” x 36” oil on canvas of Noah’s Ark landing on the mountains of Ararat.
24” x 36” mixed media painting of Uncle Durward’s 1957 Chevy.
12” x 28” oil on canvas of Warrior’s Club winning the Kentucky Derby.
12” x 28” oil painting of Art Collector winning the Kentucky Derby.
Jockey Martinez receiving the original oil painting of “Art Collector”.
30” x 40” oil on linen canvas painting of Gunner and Hazel.
Illustration titled, “First Catch” by Jonathan Taylor.
24’ x 36” oil on canvas by Jonathan Taylor. The woman survived a near-fatal accident.
24” x 36” acrylic illustration depicting two macaws near a waterfall.
30” x 40” oil on canvas painted by Jonathan Taylor.
24” x 36” mixed media painting for the Ark Encounter.
16” x 20” oil on canvas board.
24” x 36” oil on canvas painting of a tourist town in Brazil called, “Imbu das Artes”.
24” x 36” acrylic on canvas portrait of Christina.
This painting, one in a series created for a live painting performance, depicts the moment Abigail, the protagonist, enters heaven.
11’ x 17” digital illustration of Jesus carrying the cross.
24” x 48” acrylic on canvas painting titled, “The Weight ion the World”.
Painted for a live audience, this captures the moment Christ is raised from the dead and the stone is rolled away.
24” x 36” mixed media painting by Jonathan Taylor.
20’ x 30’ mural of the Blue Ridge Mountains painted by Jonathan Taylor for The Cook Museum in Decatur, AL.
Jon puts the final touches on a mural for the Rivers and Streams Exhibit at The Cook Museum in Decatur, AL.
Depicted here is the concept stage for a mural that will go above The Cave Exhibit at the Cook Museum in Decatur, AL.
This image depicts the beginning stages of a mural Jon painted for the Forrest Exhibit at the Cook Museum in Decatur, AL.
20” x 30” pastel painting of a baboon shaking a tree to scare off intruders.
This digital illustration depicts George Washington praying in his study. .
Jon captures the moment Noah’s Ark comes to rest on the Mountains of Ararat.
Brian Jekel was born in Wisconsin in 1951 and raised in the upper midwest where he remembers filling cold winter days and weekends by drawing. In high school and college Brian found success in sports which led to teaching physical education and coaching in Australia.
Returning to the US in 1977, Jekel became disenchanted with teaching high school and decided to give art a chance. As an art student in Denver, he discovered that he had found something that gave enjoyment, satisfaction, and some success. In his second year in art school, Brian met his future wife and came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
In 1980, Brian Jekel was convinced that he not only needed to dedicate his life but also his work to God. The Lord opened a door and led Brian and his wife to Pensacola, Florida to illustrate and teach at PCC. Since that time he has created nearly two thousand works relating to biblical themes and the life of Christ.
Brian Jekel desires to capture the truth and beauty of the bible and the life and the ministry of Jesus. His desire and objective is simple: to honor God in all that he creates.
24” x 24” oil on canvas by Brian Jekel of Jesus carrying the cross.
24’” x 48” oil on canvas depicting the “Star” above Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus.
24” x 36” oil painting showing the disciples miraculously catching a host of fish.
24” x 36” oil on canvas of Jesus on the sea shore.
24” x 36” oil on canvas captures the moment the disciples obeyed the command of Jesus and cast their nets on the other side of the boat.
24” x 36” oil on canvas painting of Jesus befriending some children.
24” x 24” oil on canvas capturing the moment Jesus heals Bartemeus and restores his sight.
This oil on canvas painting depicts the moment the Ark comes to rest.
This 10’ x 30’ mural depicts the moment Noah’s Flood destroys a city and eventually overtakes the whole world. It was painted by Brian Jekel for the Flood Geology Exhibit at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY.
This depicts the moment a family is swept away in Noah’s Flood.
Education
After college in 1989, Jim became an illustrator/designer for A Beka Book® publications. Much of his time was spent designing textbooks and creating illustrations for those textbooks. All the while he taught digital publishing, design, drawing and illustration as an adjunct professor. His desire, however, was to continue his education in classical painting and after 5 years of juggling a mixed career of teaching and graphic design/illustration, he decided to go back to school to earn his Master of Fine Arts in the reputable “Master’s with the Masters” program at Marywood University in Scranton, PA. During the pursuit of this terminal degree, Jim had the opportunity to visit the studios of many New York illustrators and designers. Notable painters such as Peter Fiore, former president of the Society of Illustrators, Gerry Contrares, Fred Brenner and designers like Steven Brower of Push Pin Studios. His studies culminated in 1996 with a one-man show including over 80 designs, illustrations, gallery paintings and fine portraits.
Professional Career
After his 13 years as illustrator and designer for A Beka Book®, Jim went on to make other connections as a designer and fine artist. In 2003, he started Hutchinson Portraits & Illustration® and under this name continued to hone his painting skills with fine art, portrait and illustration commissions having had work published by Dayspring Cards® and Fort Worth Magazine®. As a member of the FAITH Artists a society of painters located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Jim has had the opportunity to display his work in such notable DFW venues as the Arlington Museum of Art, the Granville Arts Center and the Fort Worth Community Art Center. More recently, he has completed commissions for Ark Encounter® in Hebron, KY and Guidestone Financial® in Dallas. In addition, he continues to create logo/identity designs for small businesses, conducts portrait painting and illustration workshops and serves as judge and M.C. for art competitions when the opportunity arises.
Professor of Art & Design
As an educator, Jim has taught either full-time or as an adjunct professor for 30 years. He has served at two different universities as the chair of both a visual arts department and a communication department and has served as an academic dean for 7 of those years. Teaching graphic design, advertising, painting and illustration on the undergraduate and graduate levels has always been a joy for Jim. He has a love for art history, the history of Graphic Design and the history of American Illustration and has taught all three in both graduate and undergraduate classes since 1994.
For over 20 years Jon has sparked the imaginations of his audiences, engaged people from all walks of life, and inspired countless lives through his work. A master of production design, concept art, illustration, and mural design, Jon thrives creating within the themed attraction industry. Specializing in developing the overall guest experience for theme parks, museums, zoos, aquariums, and planetariums, you won't find a more influential and effective creative leader for your next project than Jon Taylor.
24” x 36” digital illustration depicting the moment the animals left Noah’s Ark.
Here Jon takes a break from an illustration project for Answers Magazine.
An illustration of a Stegosaurus for Answers Magazine.
An illustration of a Sauropod for Answers Magazine.
An illustration of spotted turtles for a publishing company.
Here Jon is painting a mural for the Forrest Exhibit at the Cook Museum in Decatur, AL.
8’ x 20’ mural for the Insectarium Exhibit at the Cook Museum.
8’ x 20’ mural for the Oceans Exhibit at the Cook Museum.
Illustration for the Dragons Exhibit at the Creation Museum in Williamsburg, KY.
Jon puts the final touches on the Mountains Exhibit mural at the Cook Museum.
Jon designed the Rives and Streams Exhibit. Behind the beaver’s lodge he also painted a 20’ x 80’ mural.
Cover illustration of a T-Rex for the Answers magazine.
Feature illustration for the Dragon Legends Exhibit at the Creation Museum.
Kids love this interactive sand table at the Cook Museum.
Jon designed the Christ, Cross, and Consummation Exhibit for the Creation Museum.
This interactive exhibit shows the reproductive cycle of fish water clams at the Cook Museum.
Jonathan takes a break while completing the Lioness painting.
A portrait of Christian Fittipaldi, a close friend of Jonathan’s from childhood.
Illustration of the resurrection of Jesus for the Answers magazine.
Book cover illustration and design for a discipleship course.