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An Artist’s Vision: Fish Art by K.C. Scott

This exclusive gallery reveals why K.C. Scott is a rising star among marine artists.

By Doug Olander

Updated: November 7, 2014

K.C. Scott may not yet be the best-known marine artist on the scene, but name recognition is growing, thanks to paintings like those shared in this gallery. He’s perhaps better known from many recent, successful years on the pro-golf circuit. Click through this gallery to see his work (including “Blue Storm” shown here) and learn more about the artist.

TWIN DIESEL (oil on canvas, 30×48, 2014)

“I painted this on commission for a major corporation. They wanted a wahoo chasing an Ilander lure with the transom of a sport-fisher ghosted out at the surface.”

NO VACANCY (oil on canvas, 30×40, 2012)

“Mutton snapper in the lobsters’ habitat is something I’ve witnessed countless times over in the Bahamas and in the Keys. A full-house of lobster is something I always wanted to paint, so this piece was a no brainer.”

DOUBLE DOWN (oil on canvas, 48×60, 2012)

“Frigate birds and mahi go together like peanut butter and Jelly. I’ve been lucky enough to observe this relationship transpire from underwater. Here, hungry mahi in their natural state (blue, not yellow or green) chase bait with a frigate in pursuit.”

ROOSTERFISH (pencil on paper, 10×8,2014)

“I love the uniqueness of the roosterfish. I have caught a few and am always impressed with their aggression and power.”

MIDNIGHT ON THE BANKS (acrylic on canvas, 36×60, 2010)

“Nighttime swordfishing is one of my favorite scenarios. I can’t say I have the courage to get in the water with these creatures at night, but this piece is what I imagine it looking like down there.”

TUNA TANGO (oil on canvas, 48×60, 2012)

“A trip 120 miles out, off Sebastian, Florida, put me in the middle of yellowfin in a school the size of a football field! (My underwater time was cut short when a hungry mako showed up.)”

REDFISH HUNT (acrylic on canvas, 2009)

“This piece was inspired after countless hours spent chasing redfish on Florida’s west coast.”

LIGHT ON THE SAIL (pencil on paper, 10×8, 2010)

“This particular subject I filmed in late fall in Key West. I was in the water with a school of ballyhoo that the sails had pushed up onto the reef. There were thousands of ballyhoo frantically swimming around me when out of nowhere six sailfish came in and started a feeding frenzy on the bait. This particular fish swam around me just long enough to allow me to capture some great reference images.”

BLUE STORM (acrylic on canvas, 30×40, 2010)

“Blue Storm came from an unexpected visitor I had while fishing for dolphin in the Keys. It was a summer morning with sun and storms all around. Our spread came under attack from a nice blue; unfortunately, our gear was not set up for marlin, so it was a quick fight and he was gone. But it definitely burned into my mind an image that translated into this painting.”

BLACKED OUT (oil on canvas, 72×48, 2013)

“As an avid spear fisherman, I consider the black grouper a highly desirable target species. This piece was inspired by a 50-plus-pound black that I shot with a pole spear in the Bahamas a couple of years ago.”

EAT MORE CHICKEN (oil on canvas, 48×60, 2011)

“This is another piece inspired by a first-hand experience. A dolphin tournament in Key West turned spearfishing trip led to an unexpected blue marlin visitor while I was shooting schoolie mahi.”

NORTH DROP (oil on canvas, 48×30, 2013)

“This piece was inspired by the monster blue marlin that lurk off of St. Thomas every summer. I was commissioned to do this piece for the Boy Scouts Blue Marlin Tourney. The painting went into the live auction at the event and brought in the most money of any piece in the history of the tournament!”

TWILIGHT’S LAST RISE (acrylic on canvas, 30×40, 2010)

“My favorite time to Tarpon fish is right at dusk. I have often witnessed the scene depcted here so many times that I had to bring it to life. Setting sun and rising tarpon rank high on my list.”

HOGFISH (pencil on paper, 10×8, 2010)

“A monster hog I speared while diving out of St. Pete (Florida) inspired this piece.”

RISING SAIL (oil on canvas, 24×36, 2014)

“The south Florida kite-fishing craze inspired this piece. I’ve spent many hours chasing sails under kites and wanted to depict the moment when a sail is circling the bait. Check out my website for a video that puts the inspiration and creation of the piece together.”

WAHOOIE (oil on canvas, 30×40, 2011)

“Another amazing day spearfishing off of West Palm, Florida, inspired this piece. A school of wahoo kept coming in and out of the weed line around which we were hunting. Two fish swam in behind me, and I turned just in time the see them snatch a couple of small tripletail.”

SEA FLAME (oil on canvas, 18×20, 2014)

“This piece was commissioned for a family from the MidAtlantic where catching white marlin is the holy grail. They wanted their boat featured with a white, just as they have seen so many times.”

LOBSTER (pencil on paper, 2013)

“Lobster diving is something I’ve done since I was very young. It always takes me back to times with my father and uncles in the Keys.”

STEALTH MODE (acrylic on canvas, 2009)

“The never-ending pursuit of sails and the constant changes in their colors inspired this piece. I’ve been lucky to not only catch them but also spend time with them while i was free swimming underwater. “

HOGZILLA (oil on canvas, 30×40, 2011)

“This is another species that I’ve spent endless hours chasing underwater while spearfishing. Not only is it one of my favorites to hunt, but it’s by far my favorite to eat.”

ABOUT THE ARTIST

K.C. Scott grew up fishing and diving Michigan’s Gull Lake with his father and chasing tarpon, snapper, grouper and other species each winter when his family vacationed in Florida. But growing up, it was golf, not art, that dominated Scott’s life, culminating in his qualifying for the PGA Tour’s Buick Open in 2003. It wasn’t until after taking a break from the world of golf in 2008 that Scott revisited his passion for art, fish and fishing. Studying fish he’s caught and also underwater in their natural habitat, Scott “wants people to feel as though they are face to face with the fish.” See more of K.C. Scott’s work. K.C. SCOTT

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