Live GREAT:
Meet Acclaimed Artist Marsh Scott
By Valerie Goettsch, Newport Harbor Alumnae Chapter president
A photo collage of Marsh Scott’s award-winning work also includes a picture of the artist, top left, who is an initiate of Beta Theta-Penn State and a 20-year member of the Newport Harbor alumnae chapter.
Newport Harbor alumnae chapter member Marsh Scott recently received the coveted Artist of the Year award from the Laguna Beach Alliance during the fourth annual Art Star Awards, a red-carpet gala that was held in Laguna Beach, Calif., where Marsh lives and has her art studio.
Working in encaustics, oils, metal, stone and photography, the Beta Theta from Penn State creates both abstractions and narrative artworks. Marsh has shown her work at the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts for several years and has exhibited since 1999 at the Sawdust Art Festival where she serves as board member and president. In 2008, she won a public art competition for two 35-foot sculptures that she designed and were later installed in the Metrolink Station in Orange, Calif. Marsh's recent shows include the curated invitational show “Encaustics Encounter 225°” at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Her work is currently represented at Studio Arts Gallery in Laguna Beach and on the Artful Home website.
Q: The Art Star Awards celebrate the "best and the brightest" in several categories. What does this award mean to you?
A: The nomination and award were completely unexpected. I had great competition. It was the last award of the evening and quite a wonderful surprise. I’m not sure what I said when I won, but everyone said it was fine. It was a great reception, dinner and awards ceremony. My family was there, as well as many friends and many more from the arts community with whom I have worked. I was given a wonderful bronze statue by Louis Longi. I hope that this award will lead to exciting new opportunities.
Q: How did you get your start as an artist?
A: I began working in multiple mediums while earning my bachelor’s degree at Penn State in art education. My specialization in ceramics, fiber and jewelry sparked my love of surface, texture and process. Earning my master’s degree in art at Cal State Long Beach gave me additional research in ethnic crafts and their patterns and textures. I also took architecture classes at the University of California at Irvine, where I got my start in ordered spatial and 2D design organization.
Q: What types of art projects have you designed recently?
A: Over the last year, I've been involved with projects and series artworks ranging from public art in a pedestrian tunnel to a new series of stainless jewelry. A commissioned project for Mercy Medical Center Merced installed in February 2010 includes 29 layered and textured paintings inspired by ethnic crafts and textiles. Each of seven floors has a different ethnic focus.
Another commission for 30 varied artworks for the new Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Downey, Calif., includes “History Flight," an abstracted map of the area with history references in mixed media, 15 photography montages of fruit and vegetable details and “colorfield” paintings combined with archive photographs of the area, among other artworks. I also installed a metal sculpture for St. Marks Hospital in Salt Lake City, designed corporate awards for Experian, and created photograph montages for McKechnie Aerospace in Irvine, Calif. I am currently working on a public art sculpture commission I won for Oklahoma State University.
Q: What was your most challenging project?
A: I designed “Orange in Motion” for the Metrolink Station in Orange, which was installed August 2009. It combines colorful paint, two layers of metal and local history for the walls of the pedestrian tunnel under the tracks.
Q: As an artist, what are your favorite mediums?
A: My favorite mediums, right now, are stainless steel, oils, encaustic and photography. One of the most interesting I am exploring is encaustic painting and its use in sculpture. Encaustic painting involves using heated beeswax and damar resin to which I add colored pigments. Then I apply the liquid/paste to a surface such as a wood panel. I also use the encaustic medium for mixed media sculptures using handmade and rice papers, wood and found objects.
Q: You’ve been involved with Kappa Delta as an alumna member for many years. With your busy schedule, why and how have you stayed involved?
A: Participating in the Newport Harbor alumnae chapter has enabled me to give back to my community and stay in touch with my Kappa Delta friends. Over the years I have served as philanthropic chairman, had Girl Scouts over to my studio for projects, and participated in the Girl Scout Career Day at Concordia University. I've donated many pieces of original art as well as reproductions to support our Shamrock Silent Auction and some of our auctions at meetings. When alumna Heather Herbert Binetti, Epsilon Upsilon-Cal Poly/Pomona, was in Iraq, I sent over a box of art for soldiers to use in their rooms. Four of the pieces were placed in JAG Headquarters in Bagdad. My art also was used for the 2006 Kappa Delta Christmas Seal design.
Q: What is your favorite KD memory as a collegian and your favorite memory as an alumna?
A: While at Penn State, I joined the Beta Theta chapter of Kappa Delta where I served as chapter rush chairman and Panhellenic social chairman. One of my favorite memories as a collegian was the revolving bridge games we had sitting on the dorm room floors. Another favorite was writing and planning the skits for “Greek Week.” I am also now enjoying reconnecting with KDs from college on Facebook. As an alumna, I most enjoy the continuity of knowing a great group of bright, caring women with all their different interests, families, travels and careers.
To view Marsh’s artwork, go to www.marshscott.com, and to read her blog, go to www.marshscott.wordpress.com.
