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Scott
Scheidly aka Flounder
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Interviewed
by El Hombre
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I
was recently lucky enough to get an unsolicited piece of e-mail
that wasn't spam. It was from a gentleman by the name of Scott
Scheidly, just dropping a line to say he was on the Lowcrats train.
I noticed the end of his e-mail address wasn't just hotmail or
yahoo, but flounderart.com. Being the curious cat that I am, I
took a look at www.flounderart.com,
and was very impressed with what I saw. I contacted Scott about
doing the first interview with lowcrats, something I've been meaning
to do for a while. He agreed, and on a November Sunday I had the
following chat with the Flounder founder.
| EL HOMBRE:
Name, Rank and Serial Number |
| SCOTT
SCHEIDLY: Scott Scheidly, Illustrator/Fine artist, serial
number is unfathomable |
| EH: Where
is your home base, and is that where you were born? |
| SS:
Live in Cocoa, FL. Been in Florida since 1990, originally
from Newton Falls, OH. Near Youngstown. Newton Falls was a
village or a town depending on what family was moving in or
moving out. Population always teetered around 5000 |
| EH:
I've noticed from some of the links on your website that the
Tiki scene in Florida is alive and kicking. Was this how got
you interested in painting Tikis, or was it your interest
in Tikis that make you seek out the scene? |
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SS:
The tiki scene in Florida is lacking compared to that of
Cali, though were trying to change that. I put out a call
for "East Coast Tiki Revival". I'm tired of the West Coast
having all the fun.
I
started collecting tiki mugs about three years ago, this
is what got me interested in tiki painting. Then I started
having trouble finding illustration work so I started selling
tiki art on ebay. Then last June, me and the wahine went
to Hukilau
in Fort Lauderdale and I took some tiki art to see how it
would sell. I sold pretty much everything, about forty pieces.
After that I figured this was a good avenue for me to take.
Make money and paint something I'm passionate about.
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| EH:
Enjoy what you have. I think my basement might be the entire
tiki scene in Saskatchewan. Enough of my moaning. Other than
E-bay and freaky Tiki festivals, how does your art get into
the hands of consumers? Is there a gallery currently handing
your work? Does your website generate many sales? |
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SS:
You're such a cry baby.
I
do enjoy what I have. Today was like paradise. Mid seventy's
sunshine it felt like Polynesia.
My
art is getting into the hands of consumers through my site.
My site is only about three months old but it's working
out great. I have to give props to Tiki
Central. This is really my tiki art representative.
This is where I meet all the tiki minded peeps and this
is how I have been marketing myself. TC is a tiki forum
with about fifteen hundred members. The people on there
know everything tiki. Everyone is very cool very helpful
and most of the time funny as hell.
I
have no gallery and am not sure if I want one. I have been
approached by a couple though. First I'm going to see if
I can do it on my own.
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EH:
That's interesting. Most artists I know focus mainly on
getting gallery representation, but I guess without the
middleman, more cash finds your pocket. I suppose status
is part of it, and exposure, but if you're finding your
crowd, more power to you.
Do
you ever get concerned that the popularity Tiki art currently
enjoys will wane? How would you react if someone said, "Enough
with the tiki's already! That shiznit is played out!"?
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SS:
I don't think that the mighty tiki will ever die. The people
that are into tiki are not into it because it's a fad. These
people live tiki. I have more a problem with tiki going
mainstream.
However
If someone said enough with tiki and it died I'd probably
still paint it for myself, and start painting something
else I could make money from. I'm an art whore, daddy needs
a new pair of shoes.
By
the way in the last two hours I drank a pot of coffee and
four beers, just in case you start to lose me.
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EH:
That's a heck of a menu for a Sunday afternoon. I'm a little
hungover today, so I've just been enjoying the java. What
is your beer of choice, and what do you drink when you work?
Or do you?
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SS:
This is hard to admit, for cheap beer I love Old Milwaukee.
That's right baby Old Milwaukee! But I will actually drink
anything. I drink paint thinner when I paint. It only makes
sense. Where tiki drinks are concerned, hands down, the
Zombie!
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EH:
Man, I could go for a Zombie right now! Last time I had
one was in 1989 in a Chinese restaurant. Damn! Anyway, back
to the issue of art whoring. I notice an incredible stylistic
range from series to series of your work. For instance,
I wouldn't've guessed the PLAYAS series and the FREAKS series
came from the same hand. Is the reason for the style shift
to suit a specific market, or are you just having fun?
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SS:
My biggest gripe about the art world is that "you should
do one style and one style only". That's crazy, the beauty
of art is imagination and experimentation. I like to explore
different avenues try different things. I want to try carving,
printing, hell I may want to make a quilt tomorrow.
I
use to do gallery shows and my work sold great, but I didn't
want to paint the same style all the time. It made me not
want to paint at all, and took the fun out of it. So I quit
painting for about five years. I love what I'm doing now,
painting in series. Who knows what the next one will be.
Actually I do. I know what the next ten will be, that's
my problem. Unlike most artists, I have too many ideas.
No artist blocks here!
I'm
not trying to suit anyone but myself. I get bored easy.
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EH:
I couldn't agree more. Well, I don't want to waste you're
entire day. I really appreciate the time you've taken to
do this. Any final words?
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SS:
Any final words...
Bush
sucks, the president not the beer or the band. Wait actually
they suck too.
The
truth will set you confused.
Also, it's
Aliens and Angels are the same thing.
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