Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Scott
Hi Erica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Born and raised in Chicago’s south side neighborhoods, I owe my interests and exposure to the arts to my parents. My dad was a Columbia graduate, who worked with many Chicago play writers and stage actors. He operated the stage lights. I would come with him sometimes to plays and hang out with him in the light operating room. My mom passed on her deep love of fantasy and magic storytelling to me. She would take me and my brother to bookstores all the time and gift us with books in exchange for good report cards. High school exposed me to darkroom. I thought I loved photography and pursued it until I was exposed to the Gallery 37 program. It was a high school program geared towards the arts. I took graphic design and sculpture. It wasn’t until college that I was serious about drawing and painting. I’d taken maybe a couple of classes before college and knew I wanted to draw and paint. I would consider these to be my main pursuits now.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh I wouldn’t say I had it terribly hard. I think as a teen I struggled with my parents divorcing. Adolescence is hard even without the familial stress though. Finding ways to channel the negativity is key. I think I expressed this with my style. I was heavily into goth and punk subculture and being at a predominantly black high school in the 2010s was a little incompatible. My parents never wavered in their support of my passions and expression.
Motherhood actually provided me time to further practice and develop not only my art making skills but also my social skills. I did realize how my introversion was hurting my career development. It’s through our ability to connect that we’re able to turn our dreams and passions into careers. Finding a way for my art to serve a purpose greater than just myself is where I focus my energy primarily now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I teach drawing and painting classes at Marwen which is a non profit youth creative arts program in downtown Chicago. It’s quite a beautiful community with outstanding support towards its students, alumni, current and former staff. They’ve also taught me a thing or two about community! I also figure model at the Palette and Chisel fine art academy which is also located downtown. Lastly, I recently joined the Studio Free Love arts collective. I also participate in a lot of art vending and pop up events throughout Chicago.
I am most proud of the lifestyle I’ve begun to create for myself. I’m happy to be surrounded by artists with diverse backgrounds, pursuits, and interests. I actually feel like I’m starting to participate in the Chicago art scene. I think the only true thing that can set me apart from others is the actual art I make and my charisma.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is simply meeting or exceeding one’s own goals set by oneself. Little wins help prepare us for the more rigorous challenges we’ll soon choose to face.
I want to continue to create art and pass my passions along. I crave to do big art and murals! Success for me would be finding the opportunities and making them happen. I want my art to speak for me. I also want to get better at selling my art.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/bl00dydreamer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/cP9tACnrugaYaMWs/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@prismagirl17?si=lSpgWJBqQoYG5E9I
Image Credits
Erica Scott