Well known Margaret River Artist Peter Scott has been producing magnificent seascapes and landscapes since 1992, when he gave up his Graphic Design job and became a full time art practitioner and teacher. His impressionist influenced style draws a wide audience, and using the Margaret River Region as his subject matter, Peter Scott captures those fleeting moments of colour and ambience with strength and conviction.

Read the Q&A below and find out more about the talented Artist Peter Scott, his inspiration and his studio.

Enjoy Getting to know… Peter Scott

When did you first feel the desire to be Artistic and realise you had talent?

I first felt my desire to be an artist since I was 16.

Having lived on a dairy farm near Bunbury until I was 15, my family and I moved to Perth and I furthered my education at Churchlands Senior High School where I began studying Junior & Leaving Art.

Where did you learn your art?

I began studying Graphic Design in 1971 and completed a Diploma in Graphic Design in 1974.

Several years later I met a professional Artist Gillian Aitken who had studied Fine Art at The Royal Academy in London and I spent the next seven years studding on a one to one basis with her, where I was given a thorough understanding and grounding in the fundamentals of traditional painting techniques and I have been exploring and experimenting ever since.

What inspires you most?

Nature inspires me with all its ever changing facets and in particular the light and the effect it has on all things and the ever changing moods and moments that it creates.

What message are you sending to the viewer of your art?

I don’’ feel I have a message in particular to convey. I keep my art simple and try to capture special moments in time that jump out and touch you very deeply, they are very fleeting and ever changing and by capturing these special moments it gives a time and place to the subjects that I paint.

Describe your studio?

My Studio sits in a quiet bush land setting, surrounded by tall Jarrah & Marri trees. It has large windows and has been orientated to catch the maximum amount of natural light all year round.

There are several tables and large easels in the centre of the Studio where I produce my paintings and a wood fire in the corner to keep me warm on the cold winter days.

Low book shelves filled with art books line the walls, providing me with great amounts of inspiration and guidance. The walls are covered with my artworks that I have already completed, thus creating a wonderful and inspiring painting environment.

Describe your typical day of creating art…

After an early start to the day I leave the house for the short walk to my studio,

often being distracted by the waterfalls, fish ponds and the amazing diversity of flora and fauna which are constantly in bloom and are so abundant on this land.

When I finally make it to the Studio I lay out all my materials for the painting that I am working on and begin work. The Studio has a very calm ambiance to it and the windows look out onto the forest which surrounds it and is dappled by the ever changing light that I like to work with.

I work until about 1 pm and then take a lunch break, making sure I set my painting up so it is the first thing I see when I return to the Studio, it allows me to view my work in a fresh perspective and not becoming too close and getting lost within it.

Upon returning to the Studio I then commence painting until about 5 pm, where I take another break often returning in the evening and working until late.

What mediums do you use and why?

Over the years I have worked with Oils, Acrylic, Pastel and Watercolour, currently I am working in Acrylics and I find their flexibility and range of colours suit the subjects and the way I like to work.

What are you working on now?

At the moment I am working on a series of local Seascapes, Landscapes and Vineyards all painted in an Impressionistic style capturing the ever changing light and moods of this wonderful region.

What are your most proud achievements in your art?

My life has been an ongoing journey of achievements, learning and expression in my chosen field of expertise. Currently I am exhibiting some of my larger works in JahRoc Galleries, where the large space shows off their full potential and I am enjoying the response and feedback I am receiving from the public.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love meeting the people I teach, watching their development as they become proficient in the different mediums they have chosen to work in and when they step out and start beginning to express themselves fully with their art.

I also enjoy having the time to be able to go out and take in the wonderful ambiance of this special region, before returning to my Studio to put down on canvas the things that have inspired me.

Where can you see yourself in 10 years time?

In ten years from now I still intend to be painting, but taking it to a higher level where I can fully express the emotion and feeling of the intimate moments that touch us all.

To be able to exhibit my work and have more exposure to larger audiences of people who appreciate my work.

Artist Statement

Peter Scott – Artist – Paintings

Margaret River Fine Artist Peter Scott finds an endless amount of inspiration for his subject matter from this picturesque and ever changing region. With his impressionist style, Peter’s paintings capture memorable moments that people can relate to either from past experience or from a place of imagination. 40 years as a visual artist has seen Peter Scott win 35 prizes and awards, featured in 8 solo and 26 joint exhibitions, become a valued Art Lecturer, and his paintings are featured in private collections around the globe.

Peter Scott – Artist Statement

Throughout Peter Scott’s 40 years in fine art, he has developed a style showing influences of the Impressionists and his inspiration comes from subjects that surround him. Using different lights, a variety of mediums and strong colour, Peter Scott captures the ever changing ambience and atmosphere’s that permeate this wonderful region. Peter was born in 1955 in Bunbury, Western Australia and currently lives in Margaret River with his wife Mari. Completing a Diploma in Graphic Design in 1974 and working in advertising and Furniture manufacturing, Peter Scott gave up his employment in 1992 to become a full time visual artist and has been teaching and exhibiting ever since. Peter’s work was featured in Eight Solo and twenty six Joint Exhibitions, he has won thirty five prizes and awards, these includes first prize in the WA Society of Art, Pastel Society of WA and has been selected three times in the ANL Maritime Art Prize and Exhibition – a national touring award and his paintings are represented in private collections worldwide.