BIO
Scott Okin is originally from Northeast Ohio. He graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting and a Certificate of Art Education, K-12. Scott has worked and lived in the Chicago area since 1980. His work has been included in exhibitions and collections throughout the Midwest. 
 
STATEMENT
From my earliest memories I was always drawing and drawn to color as a moth to light. The taxicab yellow and emerald green boxes of Binney & Smith’s Crayola crayons became an inspirational tool of my creativity. A box of 16 crayons was special; it held a color for everything. A box of 64 was the holy grail and came with its own sharpener. Fast-forward 60 years and Crayola crayons and their galaxy of colors continue to inspire my work. Another facet of my work includes the use of words and meditations. Song lyrics, poems, psalms, prayers, and fragments of scripture populate my work. The words and letters are layered upon layers, creating surface movement.

PROCESS
In many of my pieces I replace the use of traditional brushes and painting techniques with hot glue from the glue gun and apply each letter with sponges. Each alphabetic element is drawn, glued, painted, and altered, throughout the extensive process of layering and mark making. I also use hot glue to create texture in intricate, mosaic-like “pebble” works.

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