Yesterday I took refuge from the typically NYC oppressive August heat and was refreshed by Michael Scott’s ‘and then he tried to swallow the world’ showing at the Gering & Lopez Gallery. Scott, known for his series of optical black and white line paintings executed with mechanical precision, took a ten-year hiatus. These new brightly colored works emphasize humanisim and imperfection. Painted on wood and aluminum express a freedom in the intuitive process. My association brings memories of beautifully and skillfully painted gauche menswear shirtings. Before digital textile paintings, designers would direct large studio of artists using labor intensive ruling pens, executing the stripings. An art piece in itself, these paintings attempted to interpret the weaving process, crossing the warp and weft yarns. Depending on the design’s success, the final pattern’s color would be dulled or brightened. Michael Scott’s world celebrates these harmonies, crossing colors, emphasizing the simple beauty of paint.
In 1955 I graduated from FIT’s textile design program. My first job was with Qualitex,Inc.a menswear textile company.My ruling pen and I spent the next few years designing and executing many stripes/colors for menswear.Seeing Michael Scott’s intelligently bold & visually pleasing paintings of stripes blows my mind with happiness!
These are beautiful, and are inspiring to any artist!