Land
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scape
CONTEMPORARY ART REVIEW
Scott Erwert Lives and works in Portland, Oregon
An artist's statement
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I am often captivated by what I see, but usually there is an emotional trigger that drives me to interpret every day occurences into a visual language of my own making. These moments happen for me sometimes when I stumble upon the simple awe of a landscape, or biking over a favorite bridge, or when in the company of musicians. I feel compelled to communicate these scenes in a natural way that also provides an emotional layer of meaning. There’s a connection there, or something that draws me in. It’s my job to find the connection through paint and the 2D surface. Sometimes it reveals itself quickly and organically; other times it’s a struggle that takes time and hard work to pull out the meaning and uncover the soul of the thing. My process usually involves sketching plein air to capture the physical place or moment, then bringing that into the studio to edit, simplify and develop further. With sketches, I utilize my sketchbooks and mediums which can be used to capture information quickly: graphite, colored pencils, watercolor and guoache. Paintings based on these studies generally
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involve the use of acrylic paint, watercolor, and some collage. The surfaces of final paintings are either done on canvas or wood, on which I build framing devices out of repurposed wood scraps that I salvage from a neighborhood furniture store. I like to think that the handmade quality of the frames tells part of the story of each piece. I am inspired by the environment and culture around me, and so the subject matter is the urban landscape of this city: the Portland bridges, views from my studio overlooking the industrial part of the Willamette, nature vs progress, and music. Painting for me is a necessity. It is my means of expression and communication. My goal in painting is at the same time simplistic and difficult: to create a refrain that gets caught in people’s heads, so that they never tire of looking—just as a melody from a song will engrain itself. It doesn’t need to be, or even shouldn’t be, explainable—just so it has a depth and intracacy to invite a visual dialogue.
Scott Erwert