Scott's profile
With my "2 by 2" watercolor series of couple’s portraits my intent is to project the power of the individuals and the strength of the pair. The subject matter is the human self: how we see each other and how we want to be seen. Each painting began by observing pairs of people usually in public places. I look for something rather unique and distinguishing about them. Invariably my paintings highlight the inner strength and integrity of my subjects.
When I recreate the couples as watercolors, I eliminate the background in order to free them from the traditional rectangle. This allows the individuals to meet viewers as equals. I want that eye-to-eye contact. My subjects, in their own way, dare you to look at them. I hang the paintings so that the eyes of the subjects in the paintings as close to eye level with the viewers. Once again I want viewers to meet my subjects on equal terms: person to person.
Last year I began a series of hand-colored linocuts, extensively to augment "Planets," a series of tondo watercolors. Each Planet painting has a sky observed while traveling surrounded by a border that reflects a decorative arts pattern indicative of the area traveled. The linocuts are also mostly circular, but all of the elements are derived from historic decorative arts elements, for instance a Roman mosaic, a Sephardic Haggadah and a Greek painted pitcher.
