NEW ORLEANS (AP) — John T. Scott, a renowned artist who created drawings and prints but was best known for large-scale abstract sculptures, is dead at age 67.
Scott, a longtime Xavier University art professor who received the prestigious John D. MacArthur Fellowship — commonly called the "genius grant" — in 1992, died Saturday at Methodist Hospital in Houston, after a long fight against pulmonary fibrosis.
Scott was born on a farm in the Gentilly section of New Orleans; his father was chauffeur to the owners of Kolb's Restaurant. When he was 7, the family moved to the Lower 9th Ward.
His love of art may have been sparked when his mother taught him to embroider.
He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1958 and began formal art studies, earning a bachelor of arts degree from Xavier University and a master of fine arts degree from Michigan State University in 1965.
Hurricane Katrina forced Scott to evacuate to Houston, where his disease required two double-lung transplant surgeries.
He is survived by his wife, Anna Rita Scott; a son, Ayo Scott; four daughters, Maria Scott-Osborne, Tyra Joseph, Lauren Kannady and Alanda Rhodes; and six granddaughters.
An exhibit of his work entitled Spirit House is on display at Meadows Museum of Art, Shreveport. In addition to his work, there are t-shirts and jewelry based on his designs.
Meadows hours:
Tues . . . 12-4
Wed . . . 12-4
Thur . . . 12-5
Fri . . . 12-4
Sat . . . 1-4
Sun . . . 1-4
(318) 869-5169
2 comments:
Thanks to Taylor Caffery in Baton Rouge for first word on Professor Scott's passing.
Taylor also wrote, when I asked him whether he'd gotten acquainted with Scott: "Mary Ann worked with him on a major design project at the New Orleans Airport, Concourse C. She has been terribly distressed at his pulmonary fibrosis, which came from all the metalworking he did. He'd had two lung transplants, and the docs had to feel relatively positive to do that. Yes, I hope we can get to see the Meadows exhibit, too."
Taylor in Baton Rouge
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