by Wendy Freeman Davis
Originally appeared in the Kernersville News, March 1, 2011
For Kernersville artist Scott Plaster, the whimsical nature in which he portrays his subject matter can probably be traced back to his childhood when painting the Picasso-esque drawings he remembers his father drawing on manila sheets of drawing paper.
It wouldn't be until years later into adulthood, however, that Plaster recalled that whimsical images on canvas when he took out his paints to recreate a photograph of a lone cow he'd taken while travelling the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Thus was born the "Cosmic Cow," now namesake of the Triad area group of artists he leads who banded together in support of one another's work about three years ago.
Plaster's whimsical depiction of this particular cow wasn't one of tradition. Instead, it took on a shape and character of its own beyond a realistic portrayal and standing in a sea of flowing green. Other animals have followed -- from funny ducks with bills protruding to his own cat caught mid-yawn -- and while some are more realistic than others, all stand out in vivid color on canvas.
"Something just clicked," Plaster said of the time he spent creating his "Cosmic Cow" painting. He had spent years searching for his own artistic identity and somehow in that moment Plaster found it. "I knew something was different about it from the start," Plaster continued.
Plaster grew up in Denton, the son of teachers -- his mother in English and his father in history. He was only a toddler when his father first began bringing home basic student tempura paints for him to use. By the time he was 10 years old, Plaster had graduated to more sophisticated oil paintings, taking inspiration from the likes of Van Gogh, the French Impressionists, and even North Carolina artists Bob Timberlake and Andrew Wyeth.
For the emerging artist, Christmas became about what art supplies he would get rather than the latest in boyhood gadgetry. "When some kids were waiting for video games and toys from Santa Claus, I was eager to get paint, canvas and pastels," recalled Plaster. As he grew into his teen years, Plaster immersed himself in magazines devoted to art and learning about styles, techniques, and art history.
One might assume that Plaster pursued art into his college years, maybe as an art education major or art history, but that assumption would be wrong. Plaster did go on to college at Appalachian State University but pursued both his undergraduate and master's degrees in English rather than art.
As far as Plaster was concerned, his career would always be teaching while art would remain something he did for the pure joy of it rather than as a job. "I've always wanted to keep art separate," Plaster said. "I'm a self-taught artist and by keeping the two separate, it lets me do the kind of art I want to do."
That's not to say he doesn't love his job as a reading teacher at Lexington High School in Davidson County. After teaching English for four years at Ledford High School, Plaster has been the reading specialist at Lexington Senior for the past two years. "I really like doing what I do as a reading teacher."
Like most emerging artists, Plaster had his turn at a variety of day jobs before finding a teaching career. He's been an education specialist for IBM in Raleigh and has worked in sales, advertising and custom website development while living in Virginia and Tennessee.
Plaster moved back to NC in 2005 and has lived in Kernersville for the past three years. His reasons for moving here centered around logistics. "I deliberately chose Kernersville because it's right in the middle of the Triad and galleries in Winston-Salem and Greensboro," Plaster explained. "I wanted to stay right in the middle."
Plaster's artwork can be seen at a plethora of galleries and artistic venues across the region and NC, including being a hosted artist at several Kernersville festivals. That kind of street level exposure is one of the reasons the Cosmic Cow Society was born. "Our main thrust is finding non-traditional venues, like coffee shops or restaurants, for our work," explained Plaster. "The average person has never stepped foot in a gallery. We want to bring art to the average person."
While the society's membership is open to artists in all of central NC, it remains a small, close-knit group with only 12 members. Those accepted into its ranks must first go through a trial period to see how well a fit they would be to the group. "We have artists in all different stages of their artistic development," said Plaster. "We have a few professional artists and others like myself with day jobs to pay the bills."
Eventually, Plaster envisions retiring from teaching and moving to the coast where he can pursue his art full-time. Its a goal he only work toward. "By the time I retire, my goal is to be a full-time artist," Plaster said. "I'd love to have the freedom to own and run a gallery."
Plaster has an interesting approach to marketing his artwork. "I feel like in today's economic climate, money is so tight that the average person can only afford the basic essentials. I do not want that fact to be a barrier to enjoying my art and having it seen by the community." Plaster has created several offerings that are absolutely free to the public in order to get exposure for his work. One is his line of free online greeting cards that feature his whimsical artwork. He had over 600 cards "picked up" over the Christmas holiday. He also had many people use his Valentine's Cards. So, far he has featured each major holiday and even has birthday cards, a get-well-soon card, and an engagement card. You can find a link to his cards from his website.
Plaster also offers interactive, drag-and-drop puzzles using his artwork. Some users have even called them "addictive." Plaster's site offers seven puzzles to choose from. "I want people to see my work, even if they can't afford to buy it. Today, people need something 'whimsical' to make them smile or laugh, and my artwork can give them that!"
Those wishing to see more of Plaster's original artwork can visit his website at http://scottplaster.com.
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| Artist Scott Plaster has found his niche painting colorfully whimsical animals, like the image entitled "Beatles - John" |
