Sam Scott has lived in Santa Fe since 1969, and his place among that cultural center’s most accomplished artists was made clear in 1997-98 when the Museum of Fine Arts honored him with a 30-year retrospective.
The 70-year-old painter counts Clyfford Still, Philip Guston and Grace Hartigan among his teachers, and their influences are evident in his pieces. But more than in the work of any of those artists, his abstractions are tied to the rhythms and patterns of the landscape.
Unlike many paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, in which it is possible to discern certain landmarks, Scott’s works are not tethered to any specific place. Instead, they come off as vibrant imaginings, with bright, non-objective colors that often diverge from the earthy tones typically associated with the Southwest, and animated brushwork and textured surfaces.
Twenty-eight of Scott’s recent oil paintings and watercolors are on view through Oct. 30 at the William Havu Gallery, 1040 Cherokee St.
Free. 303-893-2360 or . Kyle MacMillan
