SCOTT, James Arthur (Jim)

The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, Arizona, Thursday, October 29, 2015 James Arthur Scott of Cottonwood, Arizona, passed away peacefully at Mingus Manor on October 16, 2015. He was 84 ½ years old. Jim was born April 1, 1931 in Southgate, California to Arthur William Scott and Jemmie Arlene Godwin Scott. Jim was raised on a family farm in Texas and his love of art began early as he spent many hours with crayons and pencils drawing the surrounding landscape. In elementary and high school he took every available art class. He grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, graduating from Trimble Tech High School. Soon after graduating, Jim went back to California to earn his degree. He finished his degree work in two years. Mr. Scott, as he was on his way to Chicago, stopped in St. Louis, MO. It was his 21st birthday. Determined to learn by doing, the young artist's eyes were drawn to the string of lights glistening across the massive form of Eads Bridge. From that moment, the river became his muse in all its manifestations, from bridges to barges, from urban growth to rural history and in all season of the year. His love for the Mississippi River motivated him to train in watercolors in order to capture on paper the constantly changing surface of his river. Jim painted life on and along the Mississippi River for more than 46 years. Jim was introduced to Arizona on a ten day float/painting trip through the Grand Canyon in 1970. Life took him to the Southwest when he moved to Cottonwood, Arizona in 1998. Pushing his skills in a new direction, he changed his medium from watercolor to acrylic paint, when the rich colors and massive form of the desert landscape called for the strength of acrylic. Nature inspired Jim to eliminate detail, reducing canyons and trees to their basic forms. For over 25 years he has concentrated on the nature of Arizona. The retrospective of paintings by James Godwin Scott presents a selection of watercolor and acrylic landscapes covering the major themes of his career: Life on the Mississippi River and dramatically different landscapes of the Southwest and of locations around the world. Throughout his career, Jim has been student and teacher. He trained with three major artists: Robert Brackman of New York, Frank Nuderscher of St. Louis and Jack Merriot in Great Britain, and emulating the modern masters in search of his own visual language. He conducted workshops and seminars to encourage other artists to find their unique artistic voice. Painting represented a half century of work by a man for whom "painting was his all-consuming interest." Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur William and Jemmie Arlene Godwin Scott. His best friend of more than 60 years Theodore Schmitt also preceded him in death. Jim is survived by two brothers Robert Joseph and Sydney Standley Scott and one sister Jane and her husband Gene Gwinn, many nieces, nephews and cousins, & his family of friends and artists from his workshops. Jim was lovingly cared for by Lori Fruschey and her staff at Mingus Manor as well as Hospice of the Pines. A very special thanks to Bonnie Shimco of Arizona Care Management. Information provided by survivors.