About the Artist
Ayo Scott was born from and into art. By age 7, he'd cast bronze and made paper from blue jeans under the tutelage of his renowned father, Macarthur fellow John Scott. A lifelong resident of New Orleans, Ayo attended St. Augustine High School for a year, graduating from Ben Franklin in 1998. On any given day, Ron Bechet, Martin Payton, Ellis Marsalis and a host of other artists could be found at the Scott home talking art and inspiring Ayo’s path. Scott received his bachelor’s of art from Xavier University in 2003, continuing his master’s degree at The Institute of Design in Chicago, although he would ultimately leave the program after Hurricane Katrina to rebuild his parents’s home. Ayo’s early series spoke to his journey as the son of an artist, the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean and his own post-Katrina reclaiming of New Orleans. Collectively with friends, Ayo started his design and clothing company, NOYO Designs Inc. and an open mic showcase highlighted by spoken word poetry, music and visual art named Pass It On in tribute to his father’s mantra. A favorite of many for his portraits of New Orleanians, Ayo’s most recognizable works are his large-scale murals along Homer Plessy Way, on the wall of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and at Louis Armstrong Airport memorializing Leah Chase and several other places around the city of New Orleans. Over the years, Scott has worked in commercial graphic design while building on his art. His work incorporates digital design, paint, wood, cloth, paper, and found objects.
I remember when I was 8 or 9, traveling with my dad to put up an installation in the Smithsonian and watching him engineer the hanging mechanism for the sculpture. Seeing not just the public-facing results of art but the mastery and knowledge of the craft was essential to my practices.
I create using several layers of watery acrylic paint and other media. My dad once told me to 'let the paint be paint!' That stuck with me -allowing the paint to drip, accepting what happens naturally. I experiment with different techniques to create texture and visual blending through transparent colors in many of my artworks. My recent abstract works embody energetic and, at times, chaotic elements of both the expressionist and impressionist movements. While aspects of my work are conceptual, the subjects are often from personal experiences and life in New Orleans.
My process is informed by how communal art was for my father within his studio practice. The energy of creatives feeding from one another while creating in his space was integral to my investment in my studio practice. The Joan Mitchell residency greatly contributed to me taking my art seriously and stepping into the disciplines I had seen and was now ready to model.
There was a time that I created as a means of letting things go—the loss of my father, grad school, and New Orleans before Katrina. Witnessing the storm's effects and quick changes in New Orleans brought on grief with purpose. I create to preserve pieces of the things and people that make New Orleans unique- magnifying them. Our culture warriors are ambassadors of our way of life. My work celebrates them as the defenders of New Orleans's spirit.
Artist Statement
CV
Ayo Yohance Scott
b. March 12, 1980 | New Orleans, La. USA
www.ayoscott.com | ayo.y.scott@gmail.com
504.606.2670
education
Xavier University of Louisiana, Bachelor of Arts. 1998-2002
Institute of Design, Masters of Design (degree not completed) 2003-2005
exhibitions
solo
2002 Senior Exhibition
2003 Private Opening w/ Mileen Anderson - 2003 mixed subject matter
2004 Tsunami w/ Mileen Anderson
2007 Alumni Homecoming Art Exhibit
2008 In Light of Shadows, McKenna Museum of African American Art
2013 Between , Gasa Gasa music club
2014 The Lies We Believe, Octavia Art Gallery
2015 hArt & Soul: Masqued, Hyph3n Art Gallery
2016 HUEman Nature, South Dallas Cultural Center
2016 Finding Perspective, Country Day School NOLA)
2017 Redd Linen Night: Ashe Cultural Center (Curated)
2019 The Dance of the Culture Warriors
2022 Holding On: Reaching Forward – selected works – Xavier University Art Gallery
jurried & group
2007 TSU Museum – Our Neighbors to the East
2009 RedStar Galerie Grand opening
2010 Marie Laveau – Redstar Galerie
2011 Hue Orleans: A Scott's Eye View, McKenna Museum of African American Art
2013 Rhythm and Improvisation: John T. Scott,and his Legacy, Louisiana Art & Science Museum
2013 Louisiana Contemporary - Ogden Museum of Southern Art – 2013 (3 rd Place)
2013 The Art Of Music, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA)
2014 Exhibit BE, New Orleans
2015 Black Futures Fest New Orleans
2015 IN BETWEEN SPACES : BLACK SPIRITUALITY
2023 Common Threads – selected works from “don’t blink” series – Northwestern State University
2023 The Soul of Philanthropy (TSOP) - TEP Center New Orleans
bibliography
2012 - Louisiana Cultural Vistas, Cover - Summer Edition
2010 - Black Enterprise – December Issue
web
http://www.thepeoplesayproject.org/tag/ayo-scott/
http://youngblacknappyllc.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/ayoscott/
http://www.theatlantisnow.com/?p=1807
http://www.tribunetalk.com/?p=773
http://pelicanbomb.com/home/post/146
http://artdaily.com/news/71638/Octavia-Gallery-opens-solo-exhibitions-of-works-by-James-Henderson-and-Ayo-Scott
NOLA abstract artist Ayo Scott featured in ‘Elemental Threads’ exhibit at NSU | Natchitoches Parish Journal
honors / collections
New Orleans Museum of Art's Love in the Garden 2011
Joan Mitchell Center Studio Residency 2013 - 2014
Creative Alliance of New Orleans' Ball D'artes Honoree 2013
Louisiana Contemporary Exhibit 2013, 3rd place in Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Proclamation from the may Mitch Landrieu for working on exhibit BE
Collection of Serena Williams: “Lead One Bead One”
Collection of CCH Pounder: “Too Little”
Collection of Dow Edwards: “9th Ward Gothic Color Study”
George Washington Carver High School (New Orleans): Carver’s Legacy 2017
2023 NOTCF Awards Gala – Visual Art and Crafts award
2023 100 Men Hall (Bay St Louis) – “Divinely Crafted” portrait of Richmond Barthe’
2023 Trinity City Comics Artivist Awardee
public work / television and film features
2016 – Carver’s Legacy // New Orleans, La. George Washington Carver Sr. high school
2018 – These Are Times: The Legacy of Homer Plessy // New Orleans, La. Plessy Park
2018 – Zina Garrison Tribute // Houston, Tx. MacGregor Park
2019 – Up in Leah’s Kitchen // New Orleans International Airport (MSY) // New Orleans, La.
2019 – Big Big Chief & Lil Lil Chief” // New Orleans International Airport / New Orleans, La. ((Club MSY))
2020 – Reflections // Booker T Washington Auditorium // New Orleans, La.
2021 – Lessons // New Orleans, La. /. Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
2022 – Sankofa Seed / University of William & Mary / Collaboration with Steve Prince.
2022 - Bel Air – Season 1 Episodes 5 and 6
2022 - Queen Sugar Season 5 episode 7
teaching / talks
2010 - Guest Lecturer, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art
2011 - 2D & 3D Art Teacher, smARToons (TEN Gallery)
2010 - 2013 - Graphic Design Teacher, Samuel J. Green Charter School.
2014 - Art Teacher / Media Arts Teacher, Benjamin Franklin High School
2014 – Artists’ perspective talk at NOMA (Hale Woodruff)
2015 – Artists Perspective talk at NOMA (Jasper Johns)
2016 – Finding Perspective talk at Country Day School
2018 – Teen and Youth Art Workshop at Ogden Museum of Southern Art
2018 – The Art Of Citizenship (Partnership with National Park Service)
2020 – Great Scott (Ashe’ Cultural Center)
2023 – Studio Insights Helis Foundation John Scott Center
notable cover work
2023 - Floating by Tank and the Bangas
2023 - American Purgatory by Benjamin Webber
2018 - Smoke, Netflix, Chill by Tank and the Bangas
2017 - QUICK by Tank and the Bangas
2016 - Runaway Remix by Pell
design client list - available upon request
collaborations with the New Orleans Pelicans
RedBull StreetKings