Brooklyn Dawn “Study #1”

🎨 Iris Scott: A Journey of Artistic Liberation

Iris Scott’s career is defined by a singular, fundamental inquiry: must the paintbrush be the painting tool? A true pioneer, her journey has continually pushed the boundaries of contemporary art, leading to breathtaking and revolutionary techniques.

The Finger Painting Decade (2009–2019)

From 2009 to 2019, Iris committed exclusively to finger painting. This dedication took her to the heart of Brooklyn, New York, where the city’s dynamic energy propelled her work to new heights. Her visceral, tactile process earned her national recognition and representation, including with Adelman Fine Art in San Diego, California, a relationship that began in 2014. Her work from this period was covered by esteemed outlets like New York Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, and Artnet, and praised by critics like Jerry Saltz.

The New Mexico Muse & The Birth of Air-Painting

In 2019, seeking a different kind of inspiration, Iris and her husband relocated to a secluded, off-grid sanctuary in Northern New Mexico. It was in this transformative setting—where her studio now overlooks a canyon adorned with petroglyphs and desert life—that fate intervened.

In 2020, a simple workshop accident led to a momentous discovery: Iris accidentally punctured a section of wet paint with high-pressure air, resulting in a mesmerizing, dimensional mark on the canvas. Enthralled, she began an odyssey of experimentation with what she calls “air-painting.”

A New Era of Boundless Freedom

Just as finger painting chose Iris a decade earlier, this serendipitous discovery reignited her imagination. Since 2020, Iris has embraced an expansive range of techniques. Today, she seamlessly integrates finger painting, air-painting, palette knives and brushes. While the first decade of her career was shaped by the intentional constraints of finger painting, her new work promises boundless freedom, resulting in exhilarating, complex, and emotionally resonant pieces.

🌟 Adelman Fine Art: Celebrating a Legacy

Adelman Fine Art is proud to be Iris Scott’s longest-standing brick-and-mortar gallery, representing her work since 2014. We have been on a wild ride with Iris, from coordinating her largest commissions to date, to welcoming collectors from around the world, and celebrating numerous sold-out collections. We are one of the only physical galleries where you can experience the dynamic texture and energy of her originals and view her extensive print catalog.

Collectors of Scott’s work include Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Children’s Hospital, and Swedish Medical Centers. With over a million fans across social media, her innovative originals are highly sought after.

Iris Scott holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting, from Washington State University and another BFA from Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy.

We are currently accepting Iris Scott commissions! Want your own shakin’ dog or a beautiful landscape? Please contact us via 619-354-5969,  email, or our contact page, for more information. Ready to reserve your spot on Iris Scott’s commission timeline? Make your refundable deposit here.

Q & A WITH IRIS SCOTT

AFA: What were you like in high school?
Iris: “In high school I was pretty quiet, though I loved sports and art classes. I didn’t party at all, but sort of tended to hurry home and do homework. I liked school, I liked projects, and the more difficult a class was the more I liked it. I don’t think I would have been called so much a ‘dork’ as I was just a ‘sporty academic’ type. I hope nobody from high school remembers me as a rude person, I don’t remember being rude, but being a bully and not remembering it is one of my biggest fears.”

AFA: Where would you go in a time machine?
Iris: “I spend most of my non-art time researching pre-history, mainly 12,000 – 25,000 years ago. I believe it is a period of lost human history that includes Atlantis. So… I think I would choose to visit the earth in a time machine at about 13,000 years ago. I could see who really built these global megalithic structures such as the pyramids. No doubt I would learn the mystery of Atlantis, because sea levels would be low at that time, and if it existed it would be bustling!“

AFA: What gives you your greatest joy?
Iris: “Fantasizing about the future of my own painting, and the future of our society at large. I’m quite a daydreamer.”

AFA: What item in your closet do you wear the most?
Iris: “Jeans and a dark grey v-neck T-shirt.”

AFA: What are the last 3 charges on your credit card?
Iris: “Indian takeout, FedEx label, double-sided sticky tape so my cat stops trying to destroy my new sofa. Damn her!”

AFA: What is your greatest indulgence?
Iris: “Paint. I buy an obscene volume of paint to keep up with the thick texture I like to paint.”

AFA: Who are your heroes?
Iris: “Martin Luther King – for teaching non violent protesting. Elizabeth Warren – for being a badass female politician.”

AFA: What is on your bucket list?
Iris: “Scuba diving.”

AFA: Who is on the guest list for your ideal dinner party?
Iris: “Bernie Sanders, Oscar Wilde, Frida Khalo, John Lennon, Martin Luther King, Sasha Grafit, Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Picasso, Munch, Singer Sargent, Sal Kahn, and a handful of close friends.”

AFA: What is best gift you ever received?
Iris: “A handmade book/love letter from my honey.”

AFA: Do you collect anything?
Iris: “Indoor plants. Yeah, I’m trying to turn my house into ‘Where The Wild Things Are.”

AFA: If you could have any super power which one would you choose?
Iris: “Flight.”

AFA: What do you believe is a key element in creating a good composition?
Iris: “Eliminating that which is not really improving the scene.”

AFA: What’s your most significant project to date?
Iris: “I’m currently the artist-of-hire for a major beverage company in Spain and will travel there twice this year to attend a 2000-person launch party.”

AFA: How do you want to be remembered as an artist?
Iris: “I want to go down in history as the most collected and well known painter, whom also happened to be a woman. Hence, I want to break the glass ceiling so that girls across the world know they can do it too.”

AFA: Why do you think your finger paintings are so popular with so many people, all over the world?
Iris: “Color, movement, and texture. Mainly I think my images are easy to interpret because they’re open-ended. People see their own sisters, pets, homes, country sides.”

AFA: Tell us about your solo show experience at Adelman Fine Art last year?
Iris: “They know how to throw a party. We had an unbelievable turnout of standing room only. Lots of sales, I can’t wait to do it again.”