Biography

Scott Rispin began his 30+ years of artistic pursuits developing logos, carving and hand painting signs in his hometown of South Lake Tahoe, California. After settling in Erie Pennsylvania in 1990, Scott has been a working professional in nearly every aspect of the commercial arts; from ad agencies to silk screening, custom graphics/signage to sought-after muralist. He received his BA in Art Education from Mercyhurst University in 2003, and his MFA in painting from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2008. Scott has received awards in sculpture, painting, and public art projects. 

Scott spent 11 years at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College since 2008, where he taught painting, drawing, visual studies, and art appreciation, and served as the Technical Director for the college’s Studio Theatre – building imaginative sets and creating unique environments. Scott has also taught beginning through advanced painting, drawing, airbrushing and printmaking classes at the Erie Art Museum and in his studio since 2009.

Referring back to his 3-Dimensional focus as an undergrad, texture and a palpable physical presence are identifiable characteristics of Scott’s images. Through juxtapositions of paper-thin application to thick, muscular textures, everything is open to potential abstraction; shape, form and color. Depth of field is often reversed, bringing forms that are easily overlooked in the outside world into areas of expressive dominance in the painting. Color is manipulated in order to challenge the viewer’s natural desire to see things a certain way. Color harmonies and movement/counter-movement are always at play in Rispin’s paintings.

Scott is thrilled to be back in the West since relocating to the Arizona area in 2020. He taught a variety of studio classes and art appreciation classes at Yavapai College and Embry-Riddle University up in Prescott. Scott now focuses full time on creating paintings in his studio in Queen Creek, AZ and exhibiting across Arizona and throughout the United States.