This year I was nominated for a second time for the Sioux Falls Mayor’s Awards for the Arts for the individual visual artist category. This is my application:<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00a0ARTIST STATEMENT:\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcArt is a Revolution\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n
During the last several years, Scott Ehrisman has developed into one of the most high-profile artists currently working in the Sioux Falls area. He is an acknowledged leader among the more cutting-edge artists within the local art community and is a cofounder of the Midwest Artist Collective, an artist’s group that offers one alternative to the more established and traditional local art organizations. Ehrisman is also known as a cultural media critic who has written numerous insightful articles on art and popular culture.<\/p>\n
Ehrisman approaches his art from a professional background working in the field of commercial art and graphic design. His artwork reflects a sharply satirical sense of humor and a keenly insightful appreciation for contemporary popular culture. In some ways his artwork resembles the “Funk Art” created by artists in San Francisco and in Chicago during the late1960s and early 1970s. That superficial resemblance is not a matter of direct influence, but rather is due to Ehrisman and the artists of that era having similar sources of inspiration. Some of their mutual sources of inspiration are underground comics, the highly commercialized culture surrounding popular music, performance art, and a Dada-inspired appreciation for nonsense that informs both the Pop Art movement and much of contemporary art. Perhaps most significantly, Ehrisman and the “Funk Artists” share a common belief that satirical humor can be used as a means for exploding the cultural myths and commonly held social preconceptions of our society. Ehrisman believes that it is his duty as an artist and as a socially responsible human being to serve as a cultural iconoclast. He attacks and breaks our society’s false idols, and in so doing seeks to pull back the curtains of prejudice and hypocrisy that hide the cultural truths that we often choose not to face. Though his imagery can be shocking and his ideas can be challenging, they are presented with an ironic wit and a satirical sense of humor that makes the bitter truths that they express a bit more palatable. Though his art might superficially suggest otherwise, Ehrisman is in fact an idealist. He has dedicated his art in pursuit of noble causes. Ehrisman can never remain content with the way we are when he knows in his heart that we all could be better.<\/p>\n
Howard Spencer, Washington Pavilion VAC curator<\/p>\n
ABOUT ME
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 SD resident most of my life
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Resident of Sioux Falls since 1991
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Graphic designer since 1993
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Web design
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Sign design
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Presentation & POP design
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Screenprinting
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Pre-press
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Digital photography
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Direct mail
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\u00c2\u00a0 Freelance designer since 1999
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\u00c2\u00a0 Also worked as a:
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Salesperson
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Farmer
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Plumber
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Pressman
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Carpenter
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Radio personality
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Journalist
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Waiter\/bartender\/cook
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Event manager
\n\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Band promoter<\/p>\n
ART RELATED
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Publicly exhibiting art for 7 years
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Founded Midwest Artist Collective
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Past board member of Civic Dance Association
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Member of ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Member of NCAC (National Coalition Against Censorship)
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\u00c2\u00a0 Contributing member of Showdown Podcast
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\u00c2\u00a0 Arts Night committee member 2004<\/p>\n
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\u00c2\u00a0 Volunteer design\/marketing and original art
\nfor local band\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, musicians, artists and non-profits like Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Several awards in local and regional exhibits, including
\nPeople\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s choice awards
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Adviser and confidant for many Sioux Falls underground-outsider artists and musicians
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 2005 Puffin Foundation Grant recipient
\n(Created paintings in cooperation with Straight Forward – a teen directed sex education program)
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 A progressive critic of local arts and politics<\/p>\n
I BELIEVE IN:
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Grassroots movements
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Self-promotion and growth
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 1st Amendament Rights
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Censorship squelches creativity
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Art as a revolutionary experiment that
\nshould be used to change society for the better
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Conservatism and professional sports are destroying American culture
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 All public arts funding should go directly into education<\/p>\n