We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Scot Rittenbaum. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Scot below.
Scot, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you signed with an agent or manager? Why or why not?
In 2019, my wife Karen and I relocated from Atlanta, Georgia to the greater Charleston, South Carolina area. This coincided with my transition from a long stint in the not-for-profit world to concentrating full-time on my art.
I set up my art studio in our garage and dove right in to creating and posting my paintings and oil pastel drawings on Facebook and Instagram. I was gratified that folks staring following me – primarily friends and family. And, I was fortunate that some direct sales of my art followed.
One evening in early 2020, Karen turned to me and said: “I hope you won’t be mad at me. I just messaged with a Taylor DeBartola, a designer and art collector, who is a friend of one of my daughters. Karen told Taylor that I was an artist and asked if he would look at my work. Taylor graciously said yes, and to make a long story short he became my friend, collector and champion.
Later that Spring, Taylor approached Sarah Miller, the founder and director of The Miller Gallery in Charleston, and requested that she look at my art. Thankfully, Sarah said yes and they soon met to look and discuss several of my pieces that Taylor brought to the gallery. While I was not there with them, my heart was beating fast as I was excited that both a designer/collector and a gallery owner/director were seriously discussing my art.
This led to Sarah and gallery assistant, Rachel Nerney, visiting my studio in June. They poured through almost all of my works and started pulling out about 10 pieces or so. This was my first time being in this situation. I was beyond happy that Sarah and Rachel were even looking at my art and sharing feedback. However, I did not know what what would transpire. After a while, Sarah said: “I think these pieces that we’ve pulled out would be a good place to start in the gallery. I naively said, what does this mean? Sarah replied, “We will send you an artist agreement to review and sign, and how about bringing the selection to The Miller Gallery. I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. I was admittedly excited and grateful.
Most significantly, Sarah believed in me as an artist and encouraged me to create “my” art.
A couple of years later, Kayla Twomey, joined The Miller Gallery as a curator and in 2023 purchased the gallery from Sarah. Kayla continues the gallery’s culture of encouraging their roster of artists, being available for them, and creating opportunities for art to be seen and become more well known and collectable.
And I am over-the-moon grateful to Karen, Taylor, Sarah and Kayla.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
In early 2018, at the age of 33, after experiencing irreversible steeply declining health from the effects of CF, Leann underwent a double lung transplant. While the surgery itself was successful, devastating complications suddenly arose later that year, and Leann passed away. Undoubtedly, this part of my life’s journey profoundly affect me, including need to create.
During the summer of 2019, my wife Karen and I relocated to the Charleston, SC area to live nearby our daughter Emma, her husband Reid, and granddaughter Avery. Happily, a second granddaughter Lennon joined the family in 2021.
After nearly 35 years in the business and not-for-profit sectors, I set up my studio in our garage and began working full-time on my art.
My approach to his art is influenced in part by my family’s journey. Creating art has always been a mix of therapy, joy, struggle, learning, experimenting, and what feels like the most natural thing to be doing. After Leann’s passing, this sense has only intensified.
Working primarily with acrylics, oil sticks and oil pastels on canvas, panel and paper, I apply these media with both abandon and thoughtful application. Typically, I have only a loose idea of the content of a new work and starts by making marks in a particular color and letting the movement of his arms and hands, the remembrances of things seen, the emotion of experiences felt, the unfocused images from a daydream, and importantly the happenstance of unintentional marks take hold. Often, paintings undergo several iterations as the work evolves and moves to completion. Because life is raw and not always finely finished, I sometimes incorporates small areas where the raw surface and what some may feel are blemishes remains visible. This is a nod to the both the reality and beauty of life as we experience it in humankind and in nature.
Even though I certainly interact with my artwork in my own way, it is my fervent preference that the viewer experience the work in their own way(s), seeing, feeling, and embracing their personal connection to each piece.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
When I am creating, I feel like I am totally in my element. I feel so peaceful, comfortable, energized and thankful.
Certainly the creative process and journey brings out some uncertainty, self-doubt, and tension, but it feels so positive as I know I am learning and growing. It is exhilarating and liberating.
I get a big kick out of images, colors, shapes, textures, etc. that come forth from happenstance and my mistakes.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
This is my second stint at retirement. I totally understand when folks tell me oh, you’re retired and painting full-time. I get that in a traditional sense that I am retired from a “regular job”. To me, pursuing my art is work. Yes, it is joyful and fun, and for that matter so has been most of my “work” career, however creating art full-time for me is work – always learning, practicing, exploring, making mistakes, trying to stay true to my artistic vision while admittedly aspiring for others to take note, provide feedback and add my work to their collections.
Contact Info:
- Website: scotrittenbaumart.com
- Instagram: scotrittenbaumart
- Other: https://themillergallery.com/collections/scot-rittenbaum
Image Credits
Kate Blohm