The artist behind Ole County Fine Arts

My name is Scott Dugas and I am the artist behind Ole Country Fine Arts. I have a great interest in painting wildlife in both acrylic and oil paints.

Why Ole Country Fine Arts and not just my name? I have a strong belief in God, and I believe He gives each of us a gift. What we do in return with that gift or talent is our gift back to Him. We should never take it for granted.

Being born in the city but growing up in the country has led me down a path of natural appreciation. Thus I give God all the glory for my talent, so in giving him that appreciation and living in the country, I am Ole Country.

With time my talent has grown into what I Iike to call realism. So why is realism so important to me? It gives me a since of completion, almost like giving breath to each species I paint. When I paint an eye, it does not become real until you add the reflected light. Then it becomes real. I have recieved numerous positive affirmations on my work. Some individuals have even thought that my paintings are photographs.

I was recently accepted to showcase my work at an art show in Indianapolis, called The Talbot Street Art Fest. The photo below was taken at that festival. I was honored and pleased to get the opportunity to be part of it.

When I originally began painting I would finish a small painting in one sitting. Nowadays it takes days, weeks, and sometimes months. To be honest, I am not always happy with the progress of a painting so it finds its way to the sideline. Sometimes for years. Every painting has a place, time, and season.

Like many creative-driven people, I battle perfectionism. It was never my motive or desire to become wealthy off of painting, let alone sit for hours on a weekend at shows. I have never claimed to be good at painting. Creative work happens with hours of practice and dedication to the art.

I have shown most of my work - both the good and the bad. That is just part of the growth I have experienced as an artist and also in life in general. I see the value in sharing again my God-given talent. And I enjoy showing the creative process that art is.

I was attending the Talbot Street fair and I was standing alone in my booth. Now mind you I grew up in an era of no internet or cell phones. Even still today the useful tools that are used on computers escape my understanding. I suppose one could say that I am an old dog, and I struggle to take to new tricks.

A young gentleman came past my booth and accused me of using AI (Artificial Intelligence) and that disheartened me because it was a comment that reflects the state of our world. There is so much falseness and technology-generated things that people struggle to accept what is real and true.

My paintings are as genuine as I endeavor to be as a person. I have spent countless hours pouring over reference material to discover and learn a creative way to encompass a species of animal into something unique. Every color of paint and every brush stroke, down to the smallest details in my pieces are the product of things I have envisioned with my own mind. My art is birthed out of my vision that God gives me and the lens through which He allows me to see the world.

Places actually do not allow computer-enhanced paintings into art shows and I am so grateful and encouraged by that. We need to seek after what is authentic. It is God's way. It is my hope that while I am doing this, that continues. I heard AI mentioned more than once at this particular art show. Why is it so concerning to me? It is because I want to be remembered for my personal work, work that was inspired by God and not something generated from a computer.

I have an abundance of ideas for future work that are being created in my mind. That is truly what makes art so wonderful. It is what makes an artist different from every other artist in the world. What I create is never just a common piece of work. Every painting is a piece of me and when you put that piece in your home, you are receiving part of my heart along with it.

This will be my legacy long after I'm gone.