Scott Anderson

Web site:

scottandersonstudio.com

Work

 

Artist’s Statement

My teaching philosophy is a simple one: summon all your knowledge and insight, and deliver it as effectively and directly as you can to your students. While simply stated, it is a complex feat to achieve, and my continual attempts to perfect this goal is what drives me as an educator.

I see drawing skills as the silver bullet of art education. Even in recognition of the artistic freedoms gained by modernism and abstraction, I believe that a rigorous grounding in drawing is an essential tool for any artist, much as grammar is for the writer or scales for the musician. Indeed, painters famed for their artistic liberties, such as Picasso or Cézanne, were first trained in classical academic drawing, and then used this training as a springboard into a mature, authentically abstracted style. Accordingly, I teach my foundations courses with an emphasis on developing solid skills in representational draftsmanship.

My own personal work as an artist has primarily been in the twin realms of illustration and graphic design. I am continually intrigued by both the structure of a commissioned assignment, and the challenge of striving to find an appropriate creative solution within a given framework. My traditionally-based work is representational, and always seeking to make an emotional connection with the viewer. While I am drawn to all manner of styles of art, I have a special love for figurative work, and my style will likely always center on a direct, representational approach. This appreciation for clarity of form is also evident in my design work, as I value clean compositions paired with elegant typography.
My goal as a teacher is to prepare students thoroughly and rigorously, so that they will have the skills necessary to pursue their own artistic dreams. I place an emphasis on helping students develop a workflow and process that will give them the necessary discipline to continue making artistic discoveries on their own. The life of an artist has been so rewarding and personally fulfilling to me, that I find the greatest gift I can give to a student is the potential to one day experience this wonderful calling for themselves.

Education

• M.F.A. in Illustration, University of Hartford, Hartford Connecticut, 2007
• M.A. in Illustration, Syracuse University, Syracuse New York, 2004
• Intensive study in illustration and figure drawing at Associates in Art and the Illustration Academy, 1997-99
• B.A. cum laude Studio Art, Willamette University, Salem Oregon, 1996

Selected Professional Positions

• Assistant Professor of Art, Westmont College, 2006-present
• Full-time Instructor of Art, Westmont College, 2002-2006
• Adjunct Instructor of Multimedia, Santa Barbara City College, 2000-2002
• Freelance illustrator/graphic designer, 1999-present
• Adjunct Instructor of Art, Westmont College, 1999-2002

Selected Shows and Exhibitions

• Group Show, “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby,” Society of Illustrators, New York, 2006
• Group Show, “Bright Young Things,” Arts Fund Gallery, Santa Barbara, Invitational, 2006
• Juried Show, “48th Annual Exhibition,” Society of Illustrators, New York, 2006
• Juried Show, “47th Annual Exhibition,” Society of Illustrators, New York, 2005
• Faculty Show: The Fine Art of Education, Westmont College Reynolds Gallery, 2005
• Juried Show, “Illustration West 43,” Society of Illustrators, Los Angeles, 2005
• “The Art of Laughter”, Jewish Federation, Santa Barbara, Invitational, 2004
• “Seeds of Peace”, Jewish Federation, Santa Barbara, Invitational, 2003
• “The Art of Devotion”, Reynolds Gallery, Invitational, 2002
• Westmont Faculty Group Show, Reynolds Gallery, 2001
• “Drawn From Life: The Figure in Drawing”, Reynolds Gallery, Invitational, 2001
• “The Apple”, Reynolds Gallery, Invitational, 2000
• “Un Ange Passe”, Reynolds Gallery, Juried Show, 1999
• “Un Ange Passe”, Reynolds Gallery, Juried Show, 1998
• Fine Art Santa Barbara honorable mention, Juried Show, 1998
• One-man Show, “Visions of Hamlet”, Hallie Brown Ford Gallery, Salem, OR, 1996

Memberships

• Society of Illustrators

Awards / Honors

• Addy Silver Award in Illustration, American Advertising Federation, 2006
• Certificates of Merit, New York Society of Illustrators, 2004-2005
• American Association of Museums Publication Design Contest: First Place, Fundraising and Membership Materials, 2004
• Christians in the Visual Arts, 30 Emerging Artists, 2004
• Award of Excellence, University & College Designers Association, 2004
• Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, volumes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
• Step by Step Graphics Illustration Annual, 2001

Selected Client List

• Nickelodeon
• Ensemble Theatre Company
• Stocks & Commodities Magazine
• Wharton Alumni Magazine
• Santa Barbara Bank & Trust
• Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
• Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
• Center for Integrative Education