Born in Belfast in 1919, Robert Taylor Carson studied art in Belfast where he specialized in drawing and painting the human form. After the Second World War he spent a year in the United States painting portraits and making a name for himself as an artist. Taylor Carson was a war artist for the American Airforce and exhibited with success in the United States. He broadened his style and subject matter, being most renowned for his character studies and his landscapes. He lived and worked near Downings in Co. Donegal and exhibited widely, including the Royal Ulster Academy and the Royal Hibernian Academy. Robert Taylor Carson was made a member of the Royal Ulster Academy (1975) and the Ulster Water Colour Society (1983), exhibiting regularly throughout Ireland, America and Europe. His work is held in various notable collections, including The National Self Portrait Collection.