Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Studio Progress for STILL show

I am working on a new painting that is a bit more narrative. This is a in progress shot. This painting will be shown at the STILL show in November.

Friday, October 15, 2010

A Interview with lamusicblog.com

Recently I interviewed with lamusicblog.com discussing my work and Cloud Cult. Check out the blog here:

Another sneak peak at the progress in the studio!


Both are paintings in progress for the STILL show on November 6th @ Tarnish & Gold.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Scott West STILL show details!!!

OPENING PARTY SATURDAY NOV 6TH 7:00 - 11:00 p.m.

with a special performance from musical guests: THE WAPSIPINICON


A screening of the CLOUD CULT documentary No One Said It Would be Easy on Thursday, November 11th 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.


A panel discussion on the relationship between art and music on December 1st.

6:00 - 8:00 p.m.


West will take up residence in the gallery during Tarnish & Gold’s open hours to paint live producing new work for the STILL show, building off of West’s performative artistic practice. Stop by and see how the show evolves.


MINNEAPOLIS, MN- Painter Scott West, known internationally for his work as a member of the band CLOUD CULT, is proud to announce his first solo gallery exhibition, “STILL”, opening November 6 at the Tarnish & Gold Gallery in Northeast Minneapolis. For “STILL”, West will exhibit 30 new studio works, all dated from 2010.


West’s choice of “STILL” as the title for his first solo gallery show is not without irony. There is nothing sedate about West’s canvases, with highly developed pictorial areas bouncing off of dynamic abstractions and explosions of color, they are “still” only as far as they are pigment fixed on canvas. West’s breakneck rate of production is also the opposite of “still”. While painting on stage with CLOUD CULT he literally has 45 minutes to create a work and even though the works for “STILL” have been created more slowly in the studio, for West that means working on a painting a day, often on more than one painting at a time. Once the works are in the Tarnish & Gold space, even then they will not remain “still”; as West takes up residency in the gallery he will re-arrange the show as he sees fit. “I hope,” he says with a mischievous twinkle, “that it will be a completely different show when it comes down from when it went up.”


TARNISH & GOLD Gallery hours:

Tuesday - Saturday

3:00 pm - 8:00 pm

1511 Marshall St NE Minneapolis

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

10/5/10 - Latest from the Studio

This is a snapshot from the studio. The painting on the right was started and completed today. I have been trying to keep on pace with a painting a day. These paintings will be shown at the Tarnish & Gold gallery show in November. The show opens November 6th. Keep checking with the blog for studio and gallery updates!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Still - New Works by Scott West November 6th - December 5th

STILL - New works by Scott West November 6th - December 5th
Tarnish & Gold Gallery
1511 Marshal St. NE
Minneapolis MN 55413

Opening reception November 6th @ 7:00 p.m.
with a special performance from:
The Wapsipinicon

Friday, September 17, 2010

9/15/10 Missoula Montana

Today were driving across Montana to Missoula. I really love the road when I get a chance to have inspiring scenery like this.

Another shot from the road of the Montana countryside.

While we were driving I caught a shot of this vehicle. I think I will be searching for one of these in the future. I would really like to take the live painting on the road and this would be a awesome touring ride.

Sarah E. sporting the sleeping bandanna in the van.

Listen for the silence
36" x 48"
Acrylic on canvas

This is the live painting for Missoula. I am really feeling like I am hitting a stride with the live paintings. The whole band is coming together on this tour and the energy is incredible.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

9/14/10 Bozeman Montana

Cody York and Sarah Young taking a self portrait while loading in the van before the show. The photos on today's blog are provided by Cody York. I forgot to bring my camera to the show. Thanks Cody!


Cloud Cult stops for tacos in Bozeman.

For the rest of the west coast Cloud Cult is touring with Mimicking Birds. Check them out the music is amazing!

Cloud Cult hanging out before the show in the green room.

After the show we stopped off at the Pita Pit for some delicious morsels. We met up with some fans and took some pictures with them.

I can see clearly
48" x 38"
Acrylic on Canvas

This was my live painting for the night.

A better cropped photo of my painting.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The New Cloud Cult Running with the wolves Video!

Cloud Cult - Running with the Wolves from Eric Power on Vimeo.

9/12/10 Etown show in Boulder Colorado

Sunday we performed the Etown show at the Boulder Theater with Shawn Mullins. It was a great experience for us doing a radio show with a live audience setting. Nick and Helen and the whole Etown crew were wonderful to work with. It was really great to work with such a well oiled production machine. Singer / Songwriter Shawn Mullins also performed Sunday night with us. I have to say his show was amazing. What a incredible voice. After the show there was a after party at the Hotel Boulderado where we got the chance to hang with the folks from Etown and Shawn Mullins. The whole experience was incredible and many thanks to Etown and all of the hospitality that was given to the band.

The shot above is Craig sound checking before the live radio show.

Arlen chilling while I was getting our levels set on the in ear system.

Shannon watching Sarah Young practice parts for the finale song. I liked this shot because of the classical nature of the pose. Shannon has a very elegant disposition about her. For that reason it is visually inspiring using her as subject matter in my photography and paintings.

Sarah Young also with a very classical pose at sound check.

Shannon posing for the camera. I try not to let people know they are being shot but in this instance Shannon caught me.

Jeraline, Connie Minowa's mother trying out Sarah's cello before the show. Jeraline is the nanny for Nova Minowa for the first few shows of the tour. She also fills the van with home baked cookies! Good to have a slice of home while on the road.

A shot of the Hotel Boulderado from the outside. This is were we stayed while in Boulder.

The lobby of the hotel. The Boulderado had the most amazing old architecture and the staircase was stunning.

A shot of the stained glass ceiling. I have done a bit of stained glass work myself so when I see work on this scale I really have a true appreciation for it.

With and without wings
48" x 36"
Acrylic on Canvas

This is the live painting done for the night. Connie Minowa and I collaborated on this together due to the stage size. The painting was inspired by a previous painting I had done in studio (Angels and Ambulances) . This is some imagery that I will return to in the studio as the meaning and visual intent evolves. I believe this is the first collaborative painting Connie and I have done in a couple of years. I feel it went really well, we both have grown tremendously as live painters in the last couple of tours. There was several moments that I felt we were completing each others visual thoughts. The painting sale profits were donated to help the folks in Boulder that lost homes in the recent wildfires. The painting raised $5000 that night. It is a honor to contribute to people in need while on the road. Thank you Boulder for all of the fantastic adventures.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

September 11th @ The Bluebird in Denver

We are back in Denver playing at the Bluebird. This is one of our favorite venues in one of the greatest cities. After making the long drive from Minneapolis we were very happy to arrive in such a welcoming town. There is something about seeing the ridges as were driving into Denver that sets a perspective on scale and where our place is on this earth. I am thankful for the travels and the understanding it gives me.

While in town I got the chance to hang out with my brother-n-law Tim and our friend Laura. We ate a great Thai place just down the block from The Bluebird. I would recommend Tommy's if your passing through Denver. Actually I think the band eats at Tommy's every time we pass through. It is difficult to pass up great Thai food.

Cody York a great friend and amazing photographer is traveling with us on the Cloud Cult Light Chasers tour. You can catch him selling our merch or behind the lens at a show. Check his work out at:
http://codyyorkphotography.com/main.html

His work is nothing short of fine art. Thanks Cody for being such a creative.
A snapshot of the crowd in Denver. Sorry about the poor shot. I just poked the lens through the curtain before we went on stage.

Grasping the Light
Acrylic on Canvas
38" x 48"

This was the live painting for the night. I am feeling better about the coordination of rotating the painting making it dance to the music. It is good to see the paintings dance. I have always felt the life in them and now they have movement.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Cloud Cult Tour 2010 Northfield MN @ The Lions Den


Well we (Cloud Cult) are on the road again and I am really looking forward to painting on stage each night and to the audacious experiences that touring offers.

Tonight is the first night of my new easel ME2010. I have spent the last several weeks designing and fabricating this stage easel in the garage with my brother-in-law Joe. After several long nights grinding, drilling, welding, and filing this easel gets it's maiden voyage. The easel is designed specifically for my stage performance and yes it even has disc brakes! Thanks Joe for all of your hard work on this project.

This is a shot of the easel from the back. As you can see this is no ordinary easel.

The tray is designed that the paint will not fall on to the stage floor. This is a issue I had in the past due to excessive jumping, singing, and dancing to the music. As you know if you have been to a Cloud Cult show you just can't help yourself.

Arlen taking some much needed down time before the show. He also drums for the opener tonight so rest well my friend. We are lucky to have Arlen on the Cloud Cult crew. He gives everything to the show and the results are nothing short of amazing.

Sarah E. warming up in the green room before the show. Sarah is the latest addition to Cloud Cult. The french horn is one of my favorite instruments and Sarah being a multi instrumentalist ( piano, trumpet, vocals, accordion, & french horn!) adds a wonderful depth to the music. Again this Cloud Cult crew is a gifted bunch!

Shawn Neary warming up on the acoustic in the greenroom. Another amazingly gifted singer, songwriter, & multi instrumentalist. Not to mention one of the kindest people you will ever meet.

As they appear
36 x 48"
Acrylic on Canvas

This is a shot of the painting after the show. These paintings are taking a new turn in my progression. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think of the new works.

A shot of the crowd right before the opening chords of the show. Thank you Northfield for such a wonderful show. It was a honer to perform with you. The energy that night was a gift.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

More snapshots from the studio. New Work for the November show!!


In progress painting about life, regret, love and growth. The final will be shown at the November show at the Tarnish and Gold Gallery in Minneapolis.


Two more paintings in progress about still moments and the things that escape us.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010


A shot from in the studio... working on a new collection of work for a solo show coming up in November. I will be posting the progress of the paintings. Check back for more new work!

Friday, April 23, 2010

University of Minnesota Art show



This is a new painting titled Weight of the world - Acrylic on Canvas 2010
This painting was shown at my University of Minnesota art show.



I had 18 paintings on display for Earth Day. Quite a bit of my work deals with human aspects of animals as archetypes and the psychology between them. I felt it was a good fit to show at the university on Earth Day. Thanks to everyone who came!



This is Sammy and Micha two art connoisseurs that were at the show. Notice how Sammy gets the proper perspective on the painting by viewing around the wall.

Sleep until something happens


Sleep until something happens - Acrylic on Canvas 48" x 24" 2010
This is one of the paintings in a new collection of work along with Angels and Ambulances. I would love to get feedback on the new work so feel free to comment.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Angels and Ambulances




This is a new painting titled Angels and Ambulances. 36" x 24" Acrlyic on Canvas. This painting and 15 others (10 of them new as of 2010!) Will be shown tomorrow at the University of Minnesota Coffman Memorial Union and Cloud Cult performs Noon-1pm outside the Coffman Memorial Union. The painting show will be in the great hall. Hope to see everyone there! Contact me if you have any questions.