Local Artist wins awards throughout the West

By Janet Wilcox

Though Gilmore Scott worked nine years with the forest service, putting out fires, he now uses his creativity to fan the fire of his artistic talents.  

Gil is a Montezuma Creek resident, and a graduate of San Juan High School.  After high school Gilmore took classes at CEU/SJC and then went on to Utah State University, where he is just a few credits short of getting his degree.  One of his mentors in his rise to recognition was his old high school art teacher, Tony Wojcik who continued to encourage him.   

“The main thing I liked about Mr. Wojcik," Gilmore explained,  "was that he always had good advice about my work and how to improve it. He’d explain how to take a different approach. Not many people give out good real constructive ideas. As a kid he also saw me working here and there, and would say, "It's a lot better to sit in an air-conditioned room and paint!"

“Gilmore was a talented student with a quiet demeanor, when I had him in high school,” Wojcik said.  “I just tried to help him and the other kids with color, design, texture and organization.  It’s like the writing process in many ways where you take the components of words, phrases, descriptions, and sentences and create paragraphs with strong images.”

  “I talked a lot with them,” Wojcik contined, “about creating their own style—something that would set them apart from any other artist. I'd say, 'What makes a Gilmore Scott style? How can you take a Native American theme and stylize it'?” 

Gilmore Scott took that advice seriously and has developed his own style.  Today he uses a strong, dramatic palette of colors that are bold yet simple.  Portraying the culture of his Dine (Navajo) heritage, he uses the high southwest desert landscapes and traditional objects such as baskets, rug weavers, and hogans in his paintings.  Not only are his style and color choices dramatic, but also his end product often features a distinct glossy brightness.  Scott incorporates watercolors, acrylics, and color pencils—sometimes using all three mediums to complete art.

His dedicated efforts have not gone unnoticed and during the past two years he has garnered a dozen art awards throughout the west.  For the past two years his art was honored at the Edge of the Cedars Art show in May.  In 2011 he won 1^st place for “Colors of Beauty,” and he won Best of Show in 2010 for his painting “Our Mother”.  This piece also won the Judges Choice Award at the 18^th Annual Southwest Indian Art Fear at Arizona State, in Tucson, as well taking 1^st at the Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma City, OK. 

In June and July 2010 he won 1^st place, both at the Mesa Verde Indian Art Market, and at the 23^rd Annual Native American Arts Festival at Pinetop Lakeside, Az. In 2011 he again won at Pinetop for “Spring Rain.”  One of his images will be featured  on this years 2012 festival poster.

Two of his pieces were selected for publicity purposes.  One for the 2010 T-Shirt  for the Totah Art Festival in Farmington, and in 2011 he was the poster winner for the Totah Festival.

It’s obvious today, that Gil Scott has found his style—one which others recognize and appreciate, and he plans to take Wojcik’s advice and do a lot of painting in his, hopefully, cool studio in Montezuma Creek.