Mid-century Modernism.
That is the epitome of Art of Scooter’s portfolio of artwork. When you browse through his website, the sharp lines and colorful images jump out and draw you in to the story that each piece tells. Whimsical toucans, space cats, and futuristic settings mixed in with tikis and a fancy Nancy complement the mid-century modernism architectural style throughout the scenic landscapes Scooter creates.
Scott “Scooter” Burroughs has always loved art and drawing. While he struggled with many subjects in school, art was always the one subject that he gravitated towards as that is where his confidence grew. Whether it was art classes or simply drawing and doodling in his free time, Scooter knew that art was his future. His mom was a huge supporter of his drive to become an artist by buying art supplies and letting him take as many art classes as he could. His mom’s influence can be found in some of his art as he incorporates childhood memories of particular wood grains and wood stains his mom had in their décor growing up in with his current pieces. His wife and high school sweetheart, Chrysti, has also been a huge support and fountain of encouragement throughout Scooter’s journey in becoming an artist.
Having the support of family and loved ones while chasing your dream is important, but so, too, is the importance of having good teachers that push you to do your best. Scooter had two teachers in high school that he credits with influencing him in high school, Mrs. Green and Mrs. Heath. For Scooter, he is a firm believer that having great teachers in your corner that push you and stick with you helps you to see the best in yourself and your ability to accomplish your goals.
After attending community college in the Bay area, Scooter decided to venture into a local Macy’s where he viewed a mural of the Bay area that included the Academy of Art college. It was his sign to apply and so he did, he got accepted, and spent the next three years perfecting his skill. Beginning as a sculpting major, Scooter didn’t realize that an opportunity at free pizza would kick-start a future with a major theme park giant!
Every year, employees of this theme park giant would travel to multiple art schools across the country to recruit artists. It was during one of these recruitments that Scooter realized he wanted to become an animator. He ended up switching his major and spent two and a half years working on his portfolio in hopes of getting the coveted internship. With the assistance of his mentor, Barbara Bradley, Scooter got his portfolio to a point where the company recruiting was willing to take a look. He got hired to work at the Orlando studio and from there, his art career has taken off! Who knew that a couple slices of pizza could lead to so much more!
Scooter’s artwork encompasses a vast array of thematic foci. Delving into his artwork, it becomes quite clear that Scooter is influenced by many things that he enjoys and loves. Not only is there a focus on shapes, but his love for Hallmark movies shines through as his pieces capture the romance and love themes prominent in those movies. Some of his favorite artists, Johnny Cash and Frank Sinatra, as well as his love for James Bond are also represented in his pieces. Scooter’s Frankie series is a direct reflection of that admiration for Frank Sinatra mixed with Scooter’s love for Las Vegas, something that grew from a young age and is now being incorporated into his artwork.
One thing you will notice in his artwork, beyond all of the references to his favorite things, is the enormity of his original pieces. Big art is his thing. As Scooter puts it, he loves art that, when you hang it, it is unapologetically huge! This affinity for large art allows Scott to use unique canvases for his pieces including hollowed out doors to paint on.
Scooter has worked in partnership with some amazing companies over the years including a new partnership with Pan-Am. He is currently working on a cocktail book to celebrate the history of Pan-Am. Scooter and his wife Chrysti are established professionals in the realm of cocktail books as they recently celebrated the release of their very first book: Mid-Mod Happy Hour! Cocktails and Art Book which has been met with great success! Every Friday at 7pm eastern time, Scooter and Chrysti go live on their social media accounts to make and try out a new cocktail with their favorite cocktails having been selected to be published in their book. During this live, they ask their audience some “get to know you” questions which enhance the already fun atmosphere of the live.
Scooter has also had the pleasure of designing showcase cards for Unfinity (Magic: The Gathering). He created two sets of cards for the series, which he had the pleasure of doing after the art director for Magic: The Gathering googled mid-century modernism artist, found Scooter’s website, and reached out to him with the proposal to create the cards!
Among all of the art that Scooter has created, his favorite piece that he has worked on happens to be a character from his time as an animator. From the Lilo and Stitch movie, he loved to draw Pleakley. Scooter loves all Disney films, especially the animated ones, as he is fascinated by the art that goes into the production you see on the screen as well as the conceptual drawings behind the scenes that help to drive the films.
Becoming an artist can be a daunting goal. Finding your niche, marketing yourself, developing and constantly improving your talent, and building your audience are a small handful of areas that an artist must work on to be successful. For Scooter, many of these areas were easy to work through, however the most difficult aspect of his journey was being patient. You can dream and dream big, and you can know where you want to go, but it takes patience to get there. Scooter’s faith in God and knowing that God opens and shuts doors at the right times helped him with practicing his patience. His advice to up-and-coming artists, find a mentor. Find someone who is doing what you want to do, and they are doing it successfully. Reach out to them and bug them until they agree to become your mentor!
Households across the country have Scooter’s artwork adorning their homes whether it be as a print, clothing, or home décor. Fans and followers can’t get enough of Scooter’s fun and playful designs. Be sure to check out his website and follow his social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook! We will also be sharing some tidbits about Scooter on our social media accounts throughout the month of June!
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