Ian Blackhall Scott has been inspired by a lifetime of exploring the outdoors with paints and brushes, as well as the philosophies and techniques of the 19th century Hudson River School of artists, particularly those who painted the American West. He left the freedom of a university art education to spend several years learning the rigors of Classical and Naturalist techniques in two Art Renewal Center Ateliers in Utah. Today, the focus of his work is on restoring the classical landscape movement, with a modern insight on preservation ethics and reverence for wild spaces. More often than not his creative process involves skiing, hiking, or biking to locations across the West. Ian currently lives in Truckee, CA and shows his work in galleries of the Tahoe/Truckee area.
Statement
Painting and being in the outdoors are the times I feel the greatest sense of understanding and peace. Art is the best way I know how to communicate spiritual truth and the sacredness of natural spaces. My aspiration in creating landscape works is to express the spirit of a place rather than the exact physical representation. I hope when people view my work it begins to establish an emotional connection between people and place and foster greater reverence for wilderness.