ABOUT

Canvas Bridal

This is a tiny business run out of my basement in Kansas City, MO. I began working on wedding gowns in 2016 ~ you can read the full story on how that started here -> How I Became a Full Time Artist

BUT Canvas Bridal has a different start. I launched my online bridal boutique and first pre-colored “flipped” gowns in 2020. It was a huge risk, but I knew I could create better gowns with some creative freedom.

Canvas Bridal is about using bridal as my Canvas, creating gowns made by pure, unfiltered inspiration. This online bridal boutique is my gallery, and my paintings are wearable instead of hanging on walls. I approach each gown like a blank canvas; once complete, I list it here and wait for the right bride to find it. It’s truly astounding seeing each gown find the bride it was meant for and getting to create art that perfectly reflects the essence of someone I never met.

THE FOUNDER

Hi, I’m Taylor Ann Art

Art has been my lifelong passion and pursuit. It is my soul, that has poured out from me since before I could speak. Although I have gotten a lot better with words, I have several learning disabilities that have impacted my ability to self-express in traditional forms; Art has been that voice I was missing. It is my reflection of the beauty I see in nature; it is my tears in hard times and in love.

This has led me to obsessively study and practice every form of visual art. I believe that if I acquire knowledge of every art, there will be no limits to what I can create. In fact, it has been in the grey areas between mediums I have found success. Some describe my work here on wedding gowns as “witchcraft” because achieving these colors with dip-dye on synthetic is near impossible. However, I wanted a sunset on my wedding gown, and every article in 2016 saying it couldn’t be done would not stop me. I found a way to use my combined knowledge of Art and Fashion, and it changed the entire wedding industry. 

I know I am not the first to airbrush a dress, but what I did achieve and the methods I have developed are my own and have had a global impact. My work has been published in classroom textbooks and bridal magazines. Featured on Buzzfeed, Yahoo, Bored Panda, and Insider. It has encouraged brides to customize their wedding gowns and influenced mainstream designers to add colorful options to their bridal collections. Most importantly, God has given me a platform to pursue art; I get to paint on some of the most beautiful canvases and for one of the most cherished days in a person's life. With every dress, I intend to keep learning and pushing the perceived possibilities. 

MY BUSINESS POLICYS

I Am Committed to Ethical Creation

I am, first and foremost, an artist who cares about the environment and people over profits. I do everything in my power to reduce waste; my current business model is designed to help give new life to disregarded sample gowns that are crowding and hurting small businesses. I repair, wash, and paint each dress myself or with the help of a local tailor and friend.

As I move into made-from-scratch items, I am committed to locally made, fair wages, slow fashion with minimal waste. I support the “life” of the product, offering in-house cleaning, archival storage, display options, and a great consignment program. I’ll even work with you to turn the bottom of the gown into art for your home and the top into a mini dress. 

A lot of people harp on the wastefulness of a dress made for one day, but to me, that’s a lot more ethical than buying another t-shirt you will never wear. While that t-shirt will eventually sit in the closet and rot, this wedding gown will be packed safely under the bed for years to come. While that tee will get tossed in the trash when it's found again, this dress will overwhelm you with joy when you find it and open it back up. While that tee is in a landfill, this dress can be in your great-granddaughter's dress-up trunk. Sure, eventually, it will get tears and holes and be unwearable, but maybe it will be mended, put in a museum, or packed with a picture from the wedding day. Something cherished so much by maker and wearer becomes an artifact, not trash.

FINAL NOTES

Thank you for taking the time to learn about my little business.
If you would like to monetarily support my work you may do so here.
Sharing and following on social media also means the world to me, you can find me on all platforms under @canvasbridal.

I’m so grateful for you

Best Wishes

♡ Taylor Ann Art