SOLO EXHIBITION
SOLO EXHIBITION
SOLO EXHIBITION
The World's Leading Contemporary Fine Art Gallery
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The World's Leading Contemporary Fine Art Gallery
Scott
Ferguson
USA
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“My earliest and fondest memories are of his mother teaching me how to hold a pencil and draw animals.”
Growing up in a family of artists and craftsmen Scott's passion for art grew from childhood as he went on to obtain his Bachelor of Arts in Animation.
Wanting to focus on a series of vulnerable and critically endangered animals, I instantly focused on the Bali Starling which, even less than one hundred remain in the wild today. Their social nature, beautiful crests, and vividly blue skin were so unique that I put other paintings on hold to start this piece. The largest challenge of this piece was the blue skin, I normally use a very limited color palette but here, I was forced to use blues I would never consider.
Originally a sequential artist and digital painter for fifteen years in the comic and gaming industry, he found the importance of composition, conceptual development, and creating a story through his work.
While veering away from my normal compositions, I wanted to play with negative space and textures. The little owl that inhabits a large portion of the eastern hemisphere always caught my eye with the simple barred pattern, and that allowed me to experiment with the wall around them. Bubble wrap, cup lids, and other common household objects were my "brushes" for the negative space in this piece.
Working in the comic industry highlighted to Scott that art needs to reach and please the masses as much as it needs to please the artists as they put their passions and soul into their pieces. This became a fundamental understanding that Scott uses as he considers his next subject for his fine art pieces.
“I would always compare what I found with my tattered Audubon field guide tucked under my arm.”
Scott is self-taught in fine art, including oil painting and sculpture. He utilized various platforms to help gain information on the painting style he wanted to adopt which was impressionism. He chose it for how it emphasizes light and brushstrokes.
“I studied how others match colors and eventually became passionate about studying how pigments and binders impact a painting's outcome.”
Scott continues to paint commissioned pet portraits upon request and finds immense satisfaction in knowing he has provided them with a piece that reminds them of their beloved pets.
Mostly sticking to muted colors and a limited palette, I wanted to challenge myself with strong vibrant colors situated in an urban environment. I chose the peregrine falcon as my subject because of their adaptability to cities. One would think they'd be hampered in a forest made of steel and concrete, but they persevere in a setting that would overwhelm and alienate most raptors.
“The fundamentals I learned as a digital artist eventually led me to develop my skills in fine art with my primary medium being oil paint.”
I wanted to focus on animal behavior and how such behavior can bear similarities to certain crafts that we train ourselves in. Shrikes have truly unique eating habits where they impale prey on anything sharp for later eating. It's not uncommon to find lizards, rodents, and bugs skewered on barbed wire fences and thorns in certain regions of the US and Europe.
Scott was drawn to the brilliant works of impressionism done by old and modern masters, he uses an array of wet-on-wet techniques prioritizing thick brushstrokes, strong light sources, and a limited palette in his paintings.
After painting the "Suite" I wanted to focus on a minimalist approach with shadows again. Long-tailed tits are some of my favorite passerine birds to paint, and they always bring a little life and tension to a muted palette consisting of walls and shadows.
Growing up in an old colonial home and now living in an old Victorian home surrounded by the wilderness of Pennsylvania, Scott's interest in historic architecture, antiques, memorabilia, and animals is continually reflected in his work. It creates an unexpected habitat and contrast for his portraits of birds and wildlife; inclusive of vulnerable or endangered species to bring awareness to the beauty and fragility of the world we live in.
Another from my shadow series is the red-winged blackbird. These beautiful birds inhabit the trees around my pond, and they are VERY territorial, usually screaming at me until I'm a fair distance away. For such a plain background, I wanted to build a stark contrast with the vibrant colors the males exhibit.
During his childhood, on his family's farm, nearly every day was spent trying to catch or view some sort of wild bug, bird, or other wildlife.
Kestrels have always fascinated me, with mated pairs loudly calling to each other, especially the male who will diligently search for nesting sites and broadcast across my property to seek approval from their mate if the home they've chosen is adequate. Although small for a raptor, they are very loud. I'd see no profession better than the title I've chosen for this piece.
“What initially started out as a way to capture my wife's and others' beloved pets on canvas, grew and expanded to painting subjects such as birds and other wildlife in unique settings.”
Ornate woodworking is one of my hobbies, and a challenge to paint. Taking an impressionistic stance, I've tried to utilize large brushstrokes instead of focusing on details, which was a challenge for a painting much smaller than what I'm used to. Given the curious nature of cardinals at my feeders, I couldn't think of a better partner for a frame.
After running himself ragged from adventures he would return to a home filled with antiques and tools from a bygone era. It's no wonder that these objects would ingrain themselves into his conscience and become favorite subjects to paint nearly forty years later.
Focusing on endangered wildlife, I've wanted to attempt the snowy owl for quite some time, but given the challenge of playing with the hues of white feathers, I wasn't sure how the final piece would look. I love to paint strong lights reflecting on light-colored subjects, and you have a large amount of freedom if such wildlife has a minimalist feather pattern design.
Like his mother before him, he is at the beck and call of his son as they go on various adventures on the property and hopes to pass his passion to draw every form of wildlife that they find together on their adventures.
Squabble was one of the most fun paintings I've ever had the privilege to finish. I love the persnickety personality of bullfinches, and I love painting vibrant reds. While I'm still a novice and have much to learn, this was one of the few pieces where every potential milestone was easily passed.