Outsider Artist?

I did not enter post-secondary school art academia studies.

Instead I chose to be self-taught and follow an intuitive path to discover the elements of drawing and painting as needed.

Therefore I see my development as a painter to be a natural process and extension of the ideas and passion I wish to express.

~ Skot MacDougall. June 9th, 2023

Painting & Process

Plein air paintings done on location are more objective observations and help define and put ‘legs‘ on my more subjective expressionist paintings from imagination done in the studio. There’s a deconstruction of light colour and form towards an exploratory rebuilding of these elements to form some new imagined idea or scene. It’s like having one foot on the ground and one in the clouds. An expressionist approach is without the ridged parameters or expectations found in observational work. It’s a good outlet for my imagination over needing to search outside myself for inspiration. Creating conditions to be inspired seems like building a gate to the fun park.

The paintings from imagination start as an uncertain dreamy vision. Parts yet to be defined stir my imagination. To compose a painting I divide the canvas into light and shade and work towards what I find interesting. The vision becomes more defined thru plane definition as it moves towards a crystallized vision. I paint until I capture some essence of its original inspiration as its final expression.I call these paintings ‘Daydreamscapes’.

~ Skot MacDougall, 2023

A Painter's Story

Born in Sarnia Ontario Canada located on the southern most shore of Lake Huron where the Great Lake flows into the St. Claire River and home to the twin bridges connecting the USA and Canada. 

In my early youth age six to seven I took an interest in drawing set against a backdrop of countless solitary nature hikes exploring the local countryside. These two passions over time have weaved themselves seamlessly together that have shaped my life and art today.

Looking back the influence of elementary and secondary school weekly art class kept my art interests steady, although I don’t recall any drawing or painting instruction what school years offered was an introduction to a wide range of materials and mediums to create with and perhaps they were really just aptitude tests of sorts. My interests experimenting and using various mediums or materials in my art work continue to this day. 

While in elementary school grade four, at age 9, I won a city wide 'Safety Awareness' poster drawing competition. Along with a school award had lunch with the Mayor and the rest of the day off. I was really starting to like this 'art stuff'. ~ Skot

A Good Year

First year of secondary school I won a drawing competition and commission sponsored by the Canadian Mental Health Association for a printed art card fundraiser.

Age 14 won a ‘Junior Outstanding work award’ for a large ink drawing entered in the annual juried student art show and thru that received my first private art work commission.

First Series 'Help a Little' Ink drawings Age 14

Big City Influences

At this time I began to receive more commissions for artwork from local businesses and industry to design their events or various awareness campaign posters. School art teachers were often behind the referrals which was encouraging. 

A memorable school trip to Kleinberg Ontario to tour the McMichael Art Gallery paintings by The Group of Seven and First Nations. I related to the First Nations use of black in their design prints something similar to what I was doing at the time with my 'Help a little' series done in pen and ink a series. The Group of seven paintings seen in person with their sense of movement, light and negative space inspired a new interest for my art, from my usual black and white drawings to shifting more attention to understanding the principals of colour and painting which now dominate my interests today.

Half way thru secondary school in small town Sarnia Lambton the family moved to Toronto. It was quite the culture shock, I could feel the buzz in the air the pace was different. I often spent Saturdays wandering around exploring downtown Toronto on my own exploring the big city and finding art supply shops like Gwartzmanns on Spadina where I would return a few years later to load up on bulk cans of paint, canvas and brushes when I first began to paint.

Since secondary school the old master paintings held mysteries that I sought out thru school library books. During my teens living in Toronto I went to see International touring art exhibits hosted by the Ontario Art Gallery. Such as the Dutch master paintings exhibit, among the still life and nautical scenes and hidden within a thick crowd featured ‘The girl with the pearl earring'. Another touring exhibit was Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings for 'The Last Supper'. Seeing these great paintings in person including my tour to the McMicheal Gallery in Kleinburg had its impact. The qualities of colour, stillness, light, composition, technical mastery and an overall aesthetic appeal was simply beautiful and inspiring. I concluded seeing paintings in person is a more heightened experience over any book reproduction.  

In the last year of secondary school I took an interest in animation and the seemingly endless possibilities it had for 2D art. However after a college tour of an animation program I hesitated to move on it. I wasn’t quite committed to the prospect of someone guiding my creativity and the notion of being a small cog in a wheel within some kind of art factory seemed alien to my instincts. I hesitated to board the train to art academia and it passed me by. I then reluctantly headed straight into the work force to resume my art ambitions on my own. I worked regular low pay labour jobs over the next decade or so while pursuing my art interests on the side hoping one day to work full time as an artist.

First Paintings ~ Man vs Nature Age 16 Toronto

Drawings Age 17-19

My pen and ink for a brush

My interest in painting started at age 14. I first started using permanent coloured inks with a brush much like watercolour in combination with black india ink / pen nibs. The ink was transparent and permanent when layed down, I liked the richness of the ink colour, (a favorite colour made by Grumbacher line of permanent inks was called 'Indigo Blue' long since discontinued) however as rich the ink colour was I didn't like the fragility of working on paper and decided to take to paint and canvas more in my work.

I found the opacity of paint made it necessary to have a better understanding of colour mixing to get exactly what I wanted.

In 1992 I committed to a better understanding and worked out where all the pigments I had at my disposable were located on the colour wheel in relation to each other. That was a break through I needed to take the first step into painting. Experiments in colour continued through the years and have been crucial to my creative process and inspiration that have helped me define my intention and enable me to paint from imagination and without reference. This may be termed as true expressionist painting.

First Expressionist Landscapes 1988-1991

Without post-secondary school formal academic art education I was still determined to better define my creative ideas while seeking out the mysteries of the old masters that captured my imagination and curiosity.

I filled up sketch books with things I enjoyed drawing while simultaneously seeking a better understanding of the visual nature of colour, form and space. 

 'First show & first painting from life'

In 1993 I participated in a group exhibition at 'Art is Vital' Gallery Calgary Alberta, there I painted my first figure from life titled 'Penelope' of ancient Greece lore, as part of a 'Art in Action Event' a public display of working artists and subsequent silent auction.

First Group Show & First Painting from Life : titled 'Penelope' from the lore of Ulysses

Finding my Way

While learning to paint and working full time at regular 'dead end' jobs during the mid 1980s-1990s I took any art related projects or commissions for a painting that came my way. I always kept an eye out for any opportunity to show my growing portfolio in chance of getting more creative driven work. Always trying to make the leap to doing something creative full time then not.

I worked on a wide variety of private and commercial multimedia freelance art projects. Besides selling original work which I was always grateful for which gave me more confidence and kept me in touch with my goal and motivated me to keep pursuing my vision as an artist and painter.

Side projects were a necessary source of needed funding during these early years which ranged from graphic design, illustration, cartoons, custom murals and I even spent a few years doing custom wrought iron design and fabrication for home and businesses in Toronto. Although some projects were more commercial then artistically speaking, each project had something new to teach me about being an entrepreneur and experiencing the freedom to work on my own accord and kept me working in creative fields while I pursued my passion for painting. During these years I kept paintings that were close to my heart hoping to have them as part of my first painting exhibition someday somewhere.

I left Calgary Alberta with my paintings and headed back to Toronto, where I continued with freelance art projects until late 1990's then moved back to my hometown Sarnia Lambton in 1998 looking for something more earthy or quiet I suppose.

One day while visiting a local art gallery I seen a poster for an open call to artists to submit artwork for an annual juried art competition open to Ontario and Michigan based artists ..I decided to enter two expressionist landscapes. 'Why not ?' I thought to myself...At the time I was working two part time jobs to supplement my newly started mural business.

I got the call from Sarnia Public Art Gallery host to the juried show telling me I had won first prize for a piece titled 'Daybreak' I was delighted and shocked. Since was something I had not thought about much with zero expectation and for that reason I believe it made the news that much more of a boost to focus on my love of painting.

'Ready to Show'

Thru the LOOK SHOW first prize award of 2000 I was offered a solo exhibition at Gallery in the Grove, Brights Grove Ontario. Being a self-taught painter I felt this award and a first solo exhibition invite was a nice validation of my efforts and passion for painting.

The following year a new exhibition of paintings I titled 'Daydreamscapes', inspired by the Poetry of Omar Khayyam was hosted by Sarnia Public Art Gallery where I had won first prize in the juried LOOK SHOW. For me this was an important break through body of work, my painting approach and process was more fluid and connected to my intent.

In 2004 I became a registered Artist in Canada listed on the Government of Canada Web site record number 47317.

That's my story on finding my way.

From then I have had several exhibitions of my expressionist paintings, done many commissioned works including murals, taught art classes and worked on several projects for the local public art galleries that were instrumental in my start as a full time painter.

I currently reside in Sarnia Ontario Canada with my wife and two Siamese cats where I paint from a home studio offering my artwork direct to the public.

I still enjoy working in various mediums and creative projects apart from painting while taking time to enjoy the parks and sites around Lake Huron and the mighty St Claire River, I feel content being close to the beauty and power of the landscape surrounding my hometown. I am fulfilled in these simple pleasures.

Skot ~July 22, 2023