Scotty Colin: Changing Faces
October 7 - 28
October 7 at 2pm. Free and open to the public!
October 7 from 4-6pm. Free and open to the public!
Outsiders and Others, 716 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat from 11-4, and by appointment.
Scotty Colin had his first ever gallery exhibition in June 2022 which was at Outsiders and Others. It was the most successful exhibition in the galleries short 3 year history, from a point of attendance and sales.
At that time, we were working with an artist who had experienced addiction, homelessness, and mental health conditions. Since then, life has changed.
“Life is very different for me than it was one year ago. After living in Vancouver for over 18 years, I decided to move back to California where I am from. I now live in Humboldt County, in the Redwoods and on the coast of northern California. Rumour says that Humboldt County has more artists per capita than anywhere else in the United States. I don't know if this is true, but it certainly feels like it. Creativity is bursting out of the seams here. I've recognized how much I have to learn from being surrounded by so many brilliant people. It's also much quieter here. There's more space for me to focus on my creative vision. I've had the opportunity to grow into a new community, explore new places, develop new routines, be closer to family, and deepen my relationship with my girlfriend. As a result, I've been able to reexamine my life. It's given me the opportunity to make changes that will ultimately lead me to living the life that I would like to live. In essence, with the move back home, I have moved into a whole new phase of life.
I've been giving a lot of thought to what it means to live the life path of an artist. Everyone has the ability to be creative. It's part of the gift of the human experience that we all have. But, there are those of us who are wired to be creative. It's as if our life depends on it. And if we are denied of our ability to fully express ourselves creatively, then it can lead us into a state of disfunction and neurosis. Well, I fit into that specific category. The move back home has enabled me to focus on developing more self discipline, having the creative life path as a compass.”
Somewhere in the middle of all this, I have had the inspiration to move into using wood/sculpture in my art. After working with joinery and being a boatbuilder for so many years in Vancouver, it feels like a natural progression. It seems as though my experience with joinery has given me a unique perspective as an artist. It's as if a new door has opened. The result has been a huge flood of new ideas, feeling more inspired and focused than ever.”
Scotty Colin 2023
Please note that prices do not include shipping and handling costs which are the buyers responsibility.
Email us for a quote at outsidersandothers@gmail.com
Solomon I
Wood (Yellow Cedar), Ink
24” x 22” x 1-1/2”
SOLD
“This piece is made from yellow cedar, one of my favorite woods to work with. I picked up this board from a sawmill 8 years ago and have been hauling it around with me ever since, waiting for the right time to cut into it. It was a very special board because of its enormous width and tight grain. Such a dream to work with!
Solomon is a recurring theme and archetype that shows up throughout my art. When someone has the Ring of Solomon marked on their hand, it means they have been placed on earth for a particular purpose.”
Scotty Colin
Solomon II
Wood (Poplar), Ink, Shellac
24” x 22” x 1-5/8”
SOLD
“This piece is a variation of Solomon I. It’s made of poplar instead of yellow cedar. I pushed the boundaries a bit on this one, not sure if I could pull it off because of the grain direction throughout much of the piece. But it worked!
Solomon II is the son of Solomon I. They are a reflection of each other. They both have the mark on their hand. “
Scotty Colin
Magnetic Mind
Wood (Yellow Cedar), Resin, Charcoal, Acrylic
31-1/4” x 19” x 1-3/4"
$2,000 + $140 pst = $2,140 CAD
“After completing "Guardian", it opened up my mind to think about what else is possible with this technique. I pushed the boundaries and made a larger piece, the result being "Magnetic Mind". This piece is also made from two blocks of yellow cedar and could almost be described as being a three-dimensional drawing.
Having a "Magnetic Mind" requires a person to learn how to navigate their inner landscape like a martial art. Living a life on autopilot with this sensitivity will lead to nothing but pain. Having this wiring can feel like a blessing and a curse. Finding meaning in life and developing a sense of purpose are crucial keys.”
Scotty Colin
Look Into the Mirror I
Wood (Yellow Cedar), Resin, Charcoal
25-3/4” x 20” x 1-1/2”
SOLD
“This is another example of many months of mind experiments. Will it work? Will I spend countless hours only to find out somewhere in the middle that it fails? This whole new phase of my life has been about jumping into the unknown, taking risks, and swimming my way through it.
Following my intuition and persistence have been key. This piece is also made from one large single piece of yellow cedar.”
Scotty Colin
Look Into the Mirror II
Wood (Mahogany), Resin, Naples Yellow Pigment, Iron Acetate
27-3/4” x 23” x 1-1/2”
SOLD
"Look into the Mirror II" - After the success of finishing "Look into the Mirror I", I began to think about what else I could do with this same process. I made this piece out of a very large piece of mahogany that I had been carrying around with me for over 20 years, waiting for the right time to use it. Well, the time arrived. The black on this piece is a result of applying iron acetate to the wood. Mahogany is a wood that is naturally high in tannins. I made a solution of iron acetate by mixing steel shavings with vinegar. When applied to wood with high levels of tannins, it turns the wood black. This process is also known as ebonizing.”
Scotty Colin
Look Into the Mirror III
Wood (Mahogany), Resin, Cadmium Red Pigment, Iron Acetate
26-3/4” x 21-1/2” x 2”
SOLD
“This piece is a variation of "Look into the Mirror I & II". With "Look into the Mirror I", I mixed charcoal with resin to produce the black color. With "Look into the Mirror II", I mixed Naples yellow pigment with resin to produce the yellow color. With this piece, I mixed a cadmium red pigment with resin to produce the red. This piece is also made from the same batch of mahogany that has also been ebonized.
The world is a house of mirrors. The reflection of one is mirrored upon another. We live in a world where so many things appear to be hidden. In reality, nothing is hidden. Everything at some point rises to the surface and can be seen clearly. What happens when you look into the mirror? Are there any blind spots that can be removed so you can see yourself more clearly?”
Scotty Colin
Muscle Memory
Wood (Poplar), Ink, Shellac
24” x 15” x 1-1/2" wood block
SOLD
“This is the piece of work that sparked the new body of work that I’ve produced for my current show ‘Changing Faces’. I had the idea a while ago to make a wood block for making prints, with the wood block itself also being a piece of art.
Muscle memory is the ability to move a part of your body without thinking about it, learned by repeating the movement many times. From riding skateboards, playing musical instruments, to making art, I've learned the value of self-discipline with practice and persistence in learning new skills. The print in this piece is also a "memory" of the imprint left from the original block.”
Scotty Colin
7 prints were pulled
from the Muscle Memory wood block -
They are all listed below.
Muscle Memory
Print / signed AP on white paper
24” x 15” image size
Approx. 28" x 19"
Custom framed by the Artist
Only this one is available framed.
SOLD
Muscle Memory
Print / signed AP on white paper
3 prints available
24” x 15” image size / unframed
$275 + $19.25 pst = $294.25
Muscle Memory
Print / signed AP on off white paper
24” x 15” image size / unframed
SOLD
Muscle Memory
Print / signed AP on buff paper
1 print available
24” x 15” image size / unframed
$275 + $19.25 pst = $294.25
Guardian
Wood (Yellow Cedar), Resin, Cobalt Blue Pigment, Ink
19” x 15” x 1-3/4”
SOLD
“I spent a good few months doing mind experiments, trying to figure out how to make this piece, or if it was even possible without the wood failing. I was a boatbuilder for many years. Working in this profession helped train me to think of complicated ways of solving problems and encouraged me to think outside of the box. I wouldn't have come up with the idea of how to make "Guardian" without those years of training. With this piece, there are two separate blocks of yellow cedar pressed together. The effect makes it appear as though it's a three-dimensional drawing.
A guardian is one who guards, watches over, protects, or preserves. A guardian has the ability to look after the welfare of other people or their property.”
Scotty Colin
Huma
Yellow Cedar and Redwood. The two types of woods tie in a connection between my home here in the Redwoods and my home of 18 years in British Columbia.
32-1/2” x 24-1/2”
SOLD
“Over the past winter, we had a series of heavy storms here in Northern California. I was astounded at how much wood washed up onto the beaches – driftwood, logs, massive stumps of old growth.
I bought a chainsaw and scoured remote beaches in search of wood to cut. “Huma” is made from one of these logs. A highly unusual piece of Redwood that has turned almost black from being exposed to minerals from the ocean, for who knows how many years. I walked many miles to haul these slabs of wood off the beach. You could say this piece was “labor intensive” and creating “Huma” has been a “labor of love”. My experience in boatbuilding is what gave me the idea to make “Huma”. Steam-bending wood, laminating and gluing the pieces around moulds to make the curves. It was like making a puzzle of my own creation.”
“You are the Huma Bird. You have risen from the ashes to be transformed. Now you fly so high, your feet never touch the ground. I can only hope that one day, I will be fortunate enough to catch even a glimpse of you.”
Scotty Colin