Full Moon Spotlight, The Art of Scott Smith (eBay ID: rucusstudio)
Living a second childhood - or so it seems
Everyday Scott Smith of Rucus Studio
gets to be a kid again and play in his
studio.
Scott is always dreaming up and creating characters that every Halloween
enthusiast can relate to. Dancing
witches, pipe smoking pumpkins or a
fortune telling black cat are just a
few of the unpredictable characters
you might see if you were thumbing
through one of his many sketchbooks.
“Ideas come from everywhere and
usually the most unexpected places.
The trick is to get it out of your
head and on paper before you forget it
or the next vision comes along.”
After graduating from art school, he began his award-winning career as a
freelance illustrator and graphic
designer. Scott worked for many
agencies and well-known companies.
Scott eventually settled into a
full-time corporate design job for
nearly 15 years.
Enchanted by Halloween and Christmas
since he was a child, Scott started
collecting antique and vintage holiday
items in the late 1980s. The passion
for collecting had remained a hobby
until he discovered eBay. Soon it
became a bit of an obsession! Scott
searched and found things he never
knew existed. Learning more about
holiday antiques inspired him to
develop his own holiday art using
similar techniques and themes. Selling
his creations to enthusiastic
collectors lead to a greater sense of
artistic satisfaction. Scott soon said
goodbye to the corporate world and
started a new chapter in his life,
Rucus Studio.
“Not nearly as predictable or
profitable as a corporate job, having
my own business teaches me to trust
and believe in myself. Feeding the
soul is the most important thing.”
Scott makes his original works using
papier-mâché composition. Many of
his characters wear clothes sewn from
antique textiles and trims. Mostly
found at local flea markets, auctions,
and antique shops. Each piece is
sculpted, painted, and assembled by
Scott in his home studio in Michigan.
Original works are sold through his
website and the shows he attends.
Licensed designs imported by Bethany
Lowe Designs are available online and
fine stores nationwide.
“I get lost in my imagination when
sculpting and am always surprised at
the result of the finished piece,
which looks nothing like what I
intended. It seems as though the clay
often dictates who the character will
be or what they should look like.”
By allowing his passion to guide his
direction in art, Scott has found a
rewarding career that keeps evolving.
He has been fortunate enough to be
included in many of the top folk art
shows. Scott has a loyal clientele
that appreciates his unique twist and
attention to detail.
A show near and dear to Scott’s
heart is “Halloween and Vine”. He
was first invited to participate in
2002 when it was still held in a
tasting room of the Madonna Estates
winery. Scott was soon asked to become
a partner of the show and has been
using his graphics background to
create print ads, postcards, and the
show’s website (http://www.halloweenandvine.com).
“Halloween and Vine” has captured
the attention of national
publications, draws collectors, and
artists from across the country who
consider it be the premier Halloween
folk art show.
Taking his experience of exhibiting
and show promoting, Scott is adding to
his show schedule and creating a new
Halloween venue geared to the Midwest
collector base. Stephanie and Vaughn
Rawson of the “Whimsical
Whittler,” are also working with
Scott to produce the “Ghoultide
Gathering.” The show will take place
October 6th in Northville, Michigan. A
small group of artists have been
selected to participate in this first
annual event, several of which are
EHAG members. You can learn more about
this event by looking at the show
website: http://www.ghoultidegathering.com
“One of the best parts of doing
shows is the friendships I’ve made,
both with the artists and collectors.
It’s like going to a reunion each
year and regardless how well you sell,
the time spent visiting is what stays
with you.”
