Today we’d like to introduce you to Rhett Scott.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My story starts off by growing up with exotic animals. One of the first animals I grew up with was a Bengal tiger, she would sleep in my bed with me until she was about six months old. My parents have always been passionate about animals, so they share their love with others by educating people and showing these animals to the public. I started off not liking “art”, but I would doodle on my tests, homework and sometimes on myself til it got to the point where I needed a proper outlet to express these ideas. By senior year in high school, I had taken all the art classes offered and I started taking classes after school in Houston. This allowed me to see what other people were doing and helped me see how I stood against others that were making work.
I applied to Savannah college of art and design and was rejected. I ended up going as a non-degree seeking student for two quarters to build my portfolio and hoping I’d be accepted. I was finally accepted and started to pursue painting as my major. It was a rough start, most of the painters in my class were a traditional academic artist’ and I was the one painting about paint and gestural expressive figures. I started to find my voice in my work and in 2013, I graduated with a BFA in painting. I made the mistake of jumping right into grad school and started my program three months after graduating. I think it’s crucial to take some time and separate yourself from the world and figure out what your work is really about. I ended up taking a three-year break and in that break, I ended up moving to Atlanta and locked myself in my apartment and painted. I believe that was a pivotal point in my painting career. I made about 150 paintings of myself, but they were anti-podular and visceral. I finally had the confidence to jump back into grad school last year. I’ve learned that you don’t choose painting, it chooses you and you have to live with it.
Please tell us about your art.
Right now, I’m working on several themes. I have this love/hate about the way we use emojis and pictographs to express ourselves. I’m exploring this idea through repetition and overuse. We tend to overindulge in things, we tend to use things in excess. I’m also exploring the idea of what paint is and can be by showing the different qualities and applications you can achieve with paint. The subject matter is paint, nothing more. With no subject matter other than the pure material, there becomes no hierarchy in the work creating an equal ground. I tend to think it’s unsophisticated painting due to the lack of manipulation and technical quality in the work.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
My advice to an artist who is struggling, try to find a job with a steady income to finance your studio practice. You have to build up some clientele and some kind of representation in the art community in order to start a career as an artist. Reaching out to other artists and building friendships is crucial. It’s an uphill battle being an artist, you have to fully commit yourself. You can’t be sensitive to opinions and criticism, they are helpful even if they’re negative. You have to decide what works and doesn’t by breaking the components down to the simplest form and rebuild something new.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can learn more about my work at www.rhettascott.com. You can look at my current work on Instagram- @rrhettt. You can also find my work at shop SCAD in Savannah, Georgia, and scadartsales.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.rhettascott.com
- Email: rscott24@me.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/rrhettt
Image Credit:
Rhett Scott
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