Artist Proof Interview with Artist: Scott Saw
Global Location: US
AP Shop URL: http://www.zazzle.com/scottsaw
Scott Saw creates vibrant, energetic paintings where dreams and current surroundings cross-pollinate with childhood memories and subconscious interpretations of the afterlife. His work entangles birth, life and death and explores the relationship between the physical and spiritual worlds. Saw’s paintings have been regarded as romanticized gothic landscapes of nature, misfits and oddities.
“I’m inspired by space, nature, the universe, love, passion, sadness, euphoria, beauty, vitality, physics, death, the idea that there is more to our existence than this short life on Earth. My art truly It is a reflection of what is going on inside me. It’s a way for me to express deep feelings and ideas… a way to keep a secret and spill my guts at the same time. It’s therapy.”
Saw was born in 1971 and raised in San Diego, California by artistic parents who encouraged him to learn the fundamentals of art and design at a young age. Scott received degrees in both Art and Marketing from San Diego State University in 1998. He currently runs Sawblade Design, a freelance design company and lives in San Diego, California.
AP: How long have you been making art for and what lead you to start?
SS: It’s always just been a natural path for me. My dad was an active artist and art teacher while I was growing up, so I was definitely inspired by him. I’ve been hooked on making pictures for as long as I can remember. I recently came across some early drawings that I made and found that I was making fairly detailed pictures by age 6. About 8 years ago, I started showing in galleries throughout the US. Being a visually oriented person, making art is my way of taking in and explaining the world around me.
AP: Where do you currently live and work? And how does this influence your work?
SS: I’m living in North County San Diego. I’ve been here pretty much my entire life. We rarely have gloomy days here, although when we do I find them the most inspiring. Much of my inspiration comes from within and has more to do with the people around me than my location.
AP: Did you have formal training if so what? If your self taught can you tell us what you prefer about being a self taught artist vs having formal training?
SS: Both really. I went through the art program at San Diego State with an emphasis on painting. The experience was good in that it got me to focus on concept and form. I’m one of those people who really feeds on change. As such, I am constantly reinventing and allow myself to follow my heart when I know it’s time to change it up. Teaching myself new techniques and how to work with different mediums is an integral part of my process. I taught myself how to screen print a couple years ago by reading and watching YouTube vids. Lately photography has my attention. I think that with art, it really just comes down to putting in the time and effort that it takes to go deep on an idea or process… follow through is key.
AP: Can you tell us about where you make your work is it in your house, a studio etc.. and how it effects your work?
SS: I spend most of my time at my home/office/studio. I like having a studio at home so I can dive into projects on a whim… and work till I’m passing out at times. At night I work out of a two car garage that is all set up for painting, screen printing, and some wood working. I also have a home office where I plug away on graphic design and photo editing during the daylight hours.
AP: What are some of you favorite design projects/exhibitions you have worked on to date?
SS: As for exhibitions, definitely my solo shows. It’s awesome to work super hard on a body of work for months and months and then to stand in a room full of people completely surrounded by the work. It feels like I’m watching people swim through my mind. On the design tip, I’m very thankful to have a full-time graphic design gig that allows me to work from home. I take on side projects from time to time and have had the pleasure of doing some work with Bauhaus (the band). I designed their final album titled “Go Away White”. I recently did the design work for David J’s new solo album, “Not Long For This World” and one of my paintings is featured on the cover.
AP: What is your medium of choice?
SS: Oil on wood. I like how I can mix colors one day and access them for a week or more without remixing. I actually like the way it smells and of course it’s workability over time. I recently made some multimedia works involving spray paint, screen print and oil… I enjoyed working faster, although it’s really the larger oil paintings that I love to make.
AP: What is the relationship between technique and content in your work?
SS: Typically my oil paintings tend to be deep and heavy while my experimental multimedia work is more light hearted.
AP: In what direction would you like to see your work going over the next five years?
SS: I would like to see my photography become more of an integral part of my work. Lately I have been dabbling with eroticism and I would like to see how far I can push that. Ultimately, my art is a reflection of what is going on within me and around me… so as my life progresses my art will surly follow.
AP: What forth coming projects and or exhibitions do you have scheduled for 2011?
SS: I’ll be participating in a number of group shows and will be working for towards a solo show that will take place at Subtext Gallery in SD mid 2012. I’ll also have a booth at comic con for the 5th year in a row.
AP: Take us on a guided tour through a day in your life as an artist.
SS: Wake up between 7-8 am. Get my son ready for the day and take him to school. Head back to the office/studio and dive into art related emails and if I have time I’ll edit a few photos or package up orders. Around 9:30 I start my design gig. Work on design projects all day. In the evenings I like to exercise with my wife and spend time with my son. Typically get to my studio around 9:30 after my kid crashes. I tend to work on art and photography till 2-3 am.
AP: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.
