ADD and Ancient Chinese Secrets - An Interview with Scott Bergey

Scott Bergey is a man of few words and tons of ideas.  Last time I checked his Flickr photostream, the image count was somewhere around 5,230.  Even if only half of those images are original works of art, this is a man with a fertile imagination.

Let's see if we can coax a few syllables out of him.

Scott, with a selection of his art at RAW
(Riverdale Art Walk in Toronto, Ontario) 
Not sure there's a tent big enough for the whole collection.

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Q1.  What is your first memory of art?

A1.  Growing up, art was never really important to me. I remember Group of Seven (famous Canadian landscape painters) [Editor's note: Not to be confused with the left-brain-oriented Group of 7] paintings hanging in my public school. Otherwise, it was all airplanes, music and, of course, girls. It was not until I was 22 that I was really introduced to art. I was dating a girl that was in a Visual Arts degree at University. She took me to New York City and we visited all the modern art museums. I was really impressed.

Charmed As Usual

Q2.  What is the first work of art you created?

A2.  I tried to do a landscape scene in oils. What a disaster. Have no idea what landfill it is in now.

Hang On

Q3.  Was there a point in your life when you decided to try art, or were you always an artist?

A3.  Started to paint earnestly in 1998. Had a large apartment with lots of wall space. I was too cheap to buy art so I thought I would just do it myself. Took me a while to catch the drift of it, still learning.

Two Figures

Q4.  Are there specific triggers that cause you to race to a blank canvas/paper or do you impose a certain discipline on yourself?

A4.  I try to paint every day. Even on vacation. I find that if I take days off I lose my feel for the technique. Sometimes I forget how to create certain textures if I take too much time off.

Long, Long Time

Q5.  When you are working on a piece, is there a point at which you realize you have a masterpiece taking shape on the canvas/paper?

A5.  I have ADD when It comes to painting. I try to get a feeling out of the paper in the first 20 minutes. After that I get bored and move on. This is only possible using such small paper sizes otherwise it would cost a fortune in art supplies.

The Camera Never Lies

Q6.  Are there any artists you find particularly inspiring?

A6.  All the usual suspects [Editor's note: Not to be confused with The Usual Suspects] ... Picasso, Paul Klee, Jean Dubuffet, Antoni Tapies. etc. Some that are still alive include Matteo Cocci, Carol Rama, Lyle Carbajal and Lance Letscher.


Q7.  Are there any non-artists you find particularly inspiring?

A7.  The Beatles. They were only recording around 10 years but they created 300 songs that will be around forever.

Carry That Weight

Q8.  Please answer a question I didn’t ask.

A8.  How do get that terrific texture on your paper paintings?  Ancient Chinese Secret. ha ha

Big SUV, Small Woman

Q9.  Where can we see (and purchase) your work?

A9.  My art can be purchased on my Etsy Web site.

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Thanks for stopping by, Scott.  There’s always a beagle to pet and a cup of hot tea at the ready in Lakewood.  Don’t be a stranger.