Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings. To enter to win Scott's painting "Boulder Buildings" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.
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| Boulder Buildings (click to view) Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing interview |
What did you want to be growing up?
First, like many kids probably, I wanted to be a scientist that studied dinosaurs or sharks. Then as a teenager I wanted to be a professional tennis player. I wasn’t far off, my first career was a tennis pro (teaching tennis) then a high school chemistry teacher.
When did your artistic journey begin?
My grandfather was an artist, he loved cartooning but also painting so that was influential. Growing up I was mostly a doodler, mostly abstract patterns. In college I started to take drawing seriously and read many books about how to draw more realistically.
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| Winter Green (click to view) |
Did you have any long periods without creative expression? How did you get back on the horse?
As a tennis pro, I had the day to focus on my art, but when I became a chemistry teacher, I was too tired day to day to devote time to my art. So during the school year I would go on stretches without working on my art. That being said I was being creative in developing my chemistry lessons plans and figuring out how to get students to understand chemistry.
Which mediums and genres do you gravitate toward? Which ones don’t appeal?
I love the thickness and the malleability of Oil paint. I always seem to come back to scenes with people, not necessarily portraits but street scenes or landscapes. Digital doesn’t really appeal, at least not right now, probably because it is not a tactile medium. I can’t physically push it around with a brush, palette knife or my fingers.
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| Walking the Magnificent Mile (click to view) |
What was the process like of pinpointing your personal style or finding your voice?
A lot of observation and experimentation. It was like having a vague idea of what I wanted but not exactly knowing what it is or how to get there. It is still a process but I feel like I am getting closer with every painting.
Name an artist (or artists), well-known or not, who you admire. Why?
Nicolai Fechin, I like the roughness, brushwork, skill, abstract qualities and paint qualities. I admire a lot of painters, and there are not a lot of styles I don’t like, abstract to hyperrealism, but It always comes back to Fechin.
selfie
(click to view)
If you could offer one piece of advice to your younger, creative self — what would that be?
Just believe in yourself. It is very hard to create and be creative when you are in your head and filled with doubt. It is about enjoying the process.
Do you utilize any habits or tricks for winning the distraction and procrastination battle?
Just start, it is all about momentum or inertia. It can seem very hard to start something, but once you start, it will just flow. The other thing is to make it a habit, I paint everyday Monday through Friday starting at 9am. The less I paint then the less likely I am to paint, but the inverse is true as well, to a point.
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| Marble Resting (click to view) |
Experiment, reflect and brainstorm ways to improve or express myself. If I focus on what I don’t like or my doubts I won’t be able to paint. So experimenting gets me out of that head space and gives me something to focus on.
What are some of your long and short term goals for yourself or your art?
My long term goal would just be to get my artwork out there and develop my audience. I am not really a short term goal person, it is just everyday being better and improving.
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| Sunbathing Trees (click to view) |
What does success mean to you personally?
Honestly I don’t know right now, maybe just the courage to push myself and not settle for the status quo.
What is one of your proudest moments in your creative life?
This last year (2021) I won Best of Show at the Louisville (CO) Art Association National Fine Art Show. I feel like we all need external validation to know our journey is not in vain and it was great to know others appreciated my work to that extent.
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| Birds of a Feather (click to view) |
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