Honeycomb to showcase an artist of - and his art in - amazing technicolor

The spectrum of H. Scott Cushing is as remarkable as it is varied. Along the grid, he has been a swimmer and seaman, hippie and husband, New Yorker and new southerner. But always shining brilliantly is that hue of Cushing as a creative soul. Today, he is a photographer and graphic artist who uses digital manipulations of symmetry, color, and dimension to evoke intensity from landscapes and objects that would otherwise seem relatively quiet.

Cushing and his wife, Rita, moved from New York to Daniel Island in 2011. “We sold our 100 year-old house with the long driveway I no longer wished to shovel,” he recalls. Their two sons have stayed north – for now: David in Chicago and Jeffrey in Manhattan. Cushing’s travels and relocations have provided him with some extraordinary backdrops for his photography, but he admits to having a persuasive fondness for the coast.

Last year, Cushing joined the Art Guild of Daniel Island with the dual intention of camaraderie with the art community and an inspirational hoist on the heels of some ongoing health issues. And fresh off the Guild’s multi-artist show at the Honeycomb Café in January, Cushing will have a dedicated collection of his own work on the walls of the restaurant in February. “I am really enjoying the (Art Guild) group,” he shares, “and the opportunity to have my art displayed at Honeycomb has been a boost to my morale.”

Kris Manning, one of the founders of the island’s Art Guild, builds anticipation for Cushing’s show, advising us that, “His work is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.” With that tease, we had to at least try to pull back the curtain on this man of many colors.

Jennifer Johnston: What is your earliest memory of being captivated by a piece of art? How long after that did you begin your own art journey?

H. Scott Cushing: When I was seven years old, I won a contest for drawing a horse. I was very proud because, as an undiagnosed dyslexic, sports and art were the two things I excelled in. When I was about 12 years old, I saw a Kandinsky at the Museum of Modern Art and was blown away.

JJ: What is your history of training in all the mediums of art in which you work? In the future, do you see your work evolving more from further education, experience, or inspiration?

HSC: I studied Art History at USC, but left to study at Visual Arts and the Art Students League in New York City before joining the Navy during Vietnam. After my discharge, I went to art school in Florida, but left after a year. I then worked in product development for a housewares and furniture company in New York City before changing professions and opening my own insurance office specializing in health and life insurance for large businesses. My love of photography drove me to the New York Institute of Photography, where I won a merit award for my work and got a degree. I also took courses at the International Center of Photography in black and white film. Going forward, just living in Charleston is inspiration.

JJ: Please tell us how your cloudscapes collection was born.

HSC: I have always been fascinated with clouds and, being primarily a landscape photographer, the clouds started to become more important.

JJ: Pop art seems to be having a particularly big moment. Are these pieces as fun to create as they are to view?

HSC: I always loved comic books, which were the original pop art, and admired the work of Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Yves Tanguy. It is very time consuming to create the final product.

JJ: Do you find yourself drawn more to architectural or natural landscape photography? Are we insanely spoiled here in Charleston, or have you found other parts of the country equally compelling to the lens?

HSC: I was drawn to beach photography taken in the winter. Loved architecture in Florence, Rome, Chicago, and NYC, and now Charleston. Both are compelling.

JJ: Among the many hats your bio describes you as wearing are “athlete,” “hippie,” and “Navy seaman.” Can you dish a bit more on each of these?

HSC: Swimming was my sport, and I was offered several scholarships. My hippie years were spent on the lower east side of Manhattan in an area the police didn’t visit unless they had to. I lived in what might be called a commune with a revolving door of people. When I left after two years, it had turned into the trendy “East Village.” I joined the Navy to see the world and saw mostly the Caribbean.

JJ: To say that your work is “cool,” though not untrue, simply does not do it justice. What feedback is most meaningful to you: what people see in or appreciate about a specific piece, or how it makes them feel?

HSC: The feedback that was most meaningful to me was from the art shows I did at Lincoln Center, Columbus Avenue, Gracie Mansion, and Westport, where I was able to have direct contact with people who had a real appreciation of art.

JJ: Of all the publications and venues where your work has been shared, of which are you most proud? Where would you still love to see your art printed and/or hung?

HSC: My show at the Agora Gallery in Chelsea, New York was very special. Spectrum Art magazine did a profile of me that was great. I would love to see my art hung in the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

JJ: Please give us a little preview as to what will be on display at the Honeycomb Café in February. Will the pieces be available for sale?

HSC: Pop art, landscape art and clouds will be on display and available for sale. View more of Cushing’s work at his websites www.hscushing.com and www.zazzle.com/enfocus.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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