Whopple.com

Today’s Artist Interview Is With Scott Plaster From Kernersville, NC.

Whopple:  How long have you been an artist?
Scott: I was already oil painting at a very young age and have been painting for 30 years. Although I’ve had other “careers,” my calling is art. I was creating as early as I can remember, and even in my other pursuits (teaching, web development, etc.), I find a way to be creative and blend art, music, and the written word; they’re all so powerful and impact our lives so greatly. My birth as a “whimsical artist” was an epiphanous moment that began when I painted my first whimsical animal, the “Cosmic Cow.”

Whopple:  Tell us about your first attempts to be creative.
Scott: I still remember it vividly. My dad was a teacher and coach but found time to draw these Picasso-esque figures of basketball players, with huge heads and long wavy arms. He raided the teacher supply closet for stacks of manila paper and those tempura paints in the blue jars. He drew and I painted. Maybe this era was when my flair for the “whimsical” was born? It wasn’t long until I graduated from those basic materials and was surrounded by adult-level art supplies. My Christmas mornings were yearnings for new brushes, paints, or canvas instead of the usual boyhood dreams of BB guns or trains.

Whopple:  Do you make a living with your art?
Scott: I am still a part-time artist but my goal is to be a full-time artist by the time I retire from teaching, or sooner. I also am a professional website developer specializing in sites for artists, art galleries, and other arts-related businesses. I lead a regional arts organization called the Cosmic Cow Society (http://cosmiccowsociety.com) which took its name from my whimsical painting. Even if my art fulfilled my financial needs, it would be hard to give up my love of teaching. Until then, I am content to have the freedom to paint as a release and joy and not worry about whether of not it will pay the bills.

Whopple:  How many hours a day do you create?
Scott: I paint more during the summers, weekends, and holidays. When I paint, I work in spurts, sometimes spending ten or twelve hours at a time working into the night. I spend as much time marketing my work, establishing relationships with galleries, planning shows, and creating websites. I think that balances my work, but I really should spend more time at my easel.

Whopple;  How did you pick your creative medium?
Scott: I’m not sure I have! I go through phases working with different media and I’m not sure where that cycle will take me next. I began in oils early on, and I’ve always loved the feel, the color, the body and blending capabilities, even the smell. I switched to water-soluble oils a few years back and enjoy it even more. I also enjoy working with watercolor and colored pencil, and did an entire series of works a few years back that I exhibit in some venues. I have stockpiled these materials for the burst of inspiration that will take me through another “watercolor period,” but for now, I really love oil painting.

Whopple: What are your inspirations?
Scott: The inspiration for my whimsical animals is connecting to the “character” of the subject. That’s one reason why I like to paint my animals life-size or larger; they’re that much more real to me that way. The natural world has always inspired me, and I see do enjoy the beauty in landscapes, but there’s nothing like a real animal as my subject. Sometimes it’s hard to get the motivation to paint along with life’s daily stresses, but as soon as I begin I realize that creating art is just the release I need. Other art inspires me, especially the Impressionists, art deco architecture, and art nouveau fashion and decor. I am awe-stricken by the beauty of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s glass and painting, the ethereal beauty of Andrew Wyeth’s work, anything by Claude Monet or Van Gogh, and Picasso’s blue period. Henri Rousseau’s work has also been an influence. I’m the most inspired when I don’t have to be anywhere anytime soon, and I have an endless stack of lively, soothing albums on vinyl to listen to.

Whopple: What is your favorite art related book?
Scott: As a self-taught artist, books have been very important to me. I literally have probably a hundred art books that I use for inspiration, research, and reference, but I have to give credit where it is due. From a very young age on, I devoured every issue of “The Artists’s Magazine” and subscribed for years. Also, as a ten-year-old boy I somehow inherited Olle Nordmark’s “Complete Course in Oil Painting” and it taught me what hours (and perhaps years) of art school could have. This book lays the foundation of traditional oil painting, including selection of quality materials, color theory, composition, and painting exercises. I took my first cues from this book and proceeded from there.

Whopple: How do you recharge when your creativity hits the wall?
Scott: I love to listen to music when I paint, and I think that music and art and literature take me to the same “place” within myself where my creativity lives. Creating art part-time, the biggest challenge I have is having other stresses to worry about. I like to have a clear mind when I paint, and I have found that I’m the worst procrastinator when I’m wanting to start a painting. I will do laundry, find things to fix, clean, and pitter around until I just can’t take it anymore; then I just dive in!

Whopple: What was your first job?
Scott: I was a “bag boy” at the local grocery store when there was an art to it. Remember paper? No choice, just paper. I could make cans, boxes, and bread fit just right without squishing a thing. But it turns out I had a problem with the mop machine; I left the water on twice and flooded out the palettes in the back room. I guess I was better at the other kind of palette.

Whopple: What are your favorite snacks when you are creating?
Scott: I know I shouldn’t, but I can go without food for long periods while I paint, but there’s one thing I cannot go without  Diet Coke! If I break to eat, it has to be something quick like a cereal bar, scoop of peanut butter, a cheese stick, or a can of tuna.

Whopple: What gives you hope in the world?
Scott: As a high school reading teacher, I’m amazed by the potential of young adults every day; they hold such promise! I’m the teacher who doesn’t give up on a student, and my challenge is to boost their reading skills so they can be successful in school and in life. People ask, Why don’t you teach art? and I have no problem saying that I’d rather keep the two separate. I know people who teach art in public schools, and it always seems to limit what they’d really want to do. I’d rather leave my teaching job at school and come home and paint. As a whimsical artist, I want to create images that make people smile or laugh. In these times, that’s so important. I think in rough times, the best place to look for hope is in the heart of the dreamer: the writer, the musician, and the artist.

Whopple: What do you wish you could do?
Scott: To be a full-time artist would fulfill a lifelong dream. I know you just can’t snap your fingers and make it happen, especially with today’s economy. Owning and running a gallery, as tough as I know it is, would also allow me to help art reach more people in the community. My group, the Cosmic Cow Society, has the same goal. The average person in many communities has never even stepped foot into an art gallery. Art does not “belong” to the elite. A hundred years ago, artists of the Post-Industrial Revolution sought to beautify their surroundings and incorporate art into everyday objects. Why can’t we bring artwork back to the people again? Being an artist with this mission is a full-time vocation, so one day I hope to live that dream.

Whopple: What are your artistic goals?
Scott: I now have artwork exhibited all across my home state of North Carolina (from the mountains to the coast). I want to continue to establish this reputation and become one of the best-known artists in NC. Since the world is so “small” these days, I also hope to gain a national name as well. As we speak, information about me already registers on page one of Google when people search for “whimsical artists”. I suppose no goal is too lofty; I’ve always said you’ll never achieve something by accident. If you want something, set your sights high. I am still an “emerging” artist, and I think that a national reputation could help me achieve some of my goals for my artwork, including marketing other artists, revitalizing the art scene in the local community, and becoming a self-sustaining artist. I think that whimsical artists share a philosophy that our society needs right now.

Whopple: What has been your most exciting moment as an artist?
Scott: When I say, “Selling a Painting,” I don’t mean the sale or the purchase. What gives me the most joy is knowing that someone else enjoyed my work enough to take it home and hang it, or even give it as a gift. One reason I market cards and prints is so more people can enjoy my artwork. Perhaps the most thrilling moment is seeing children take one of my free postcards and see the smile! Meeting my happy patrons shares a bond; it’s the relationships that are important to me in the art world. What could be more exciting than that?

To See More Of Scott Plaster’s Artwork Please Visit The Following:

Main Website: http://scottplaster.com
Biography, List and Map of Exhibitions, Artist Statement, image gallery, newsletter, video, cards, prints, online puzzles, and contact
Blog: http://blog.scottplaster.com
Online Greeting Cards: http://artgreetingcardsonline.com
My Free online greeting card site featuring my art. Holidays, birthdays, and more.
Cosmic Cow Society: http://cosmiccowsociety.com
My arts organization with information about each artist and our shows.
My Web Design: http://webyoni.com
Services, references, and clients
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ccs.scottplaster

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