Today we’d like to introduce you to Scot DiStefano.
Hi Scot, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It is a 62 year long story… hard to know where to start.
I’ve been practicing architecture my entire adult life, with my first job in an architect’s office when I was 18. My intention was to go to art school but I was pushed away from that by my father who would have liked me to study engineering. This did not appeal to me, and my high school girlfriend suggested architecture; “You draw well and you like to build things… you should study architecture.” It was a workable compromise for a 17 year old who didn’t know how to push back. For the record, my father sent an unsolicited apology for not supporting my interests, some 30 years later
I worked for seven years out of school for Giller and Giller on Miami Beach. The firm started shifting towards construction and design / build projects. I could do it, but I did not enjoy it. I left the firm and joined renowned local architect Dan Duckham’s studio. I really enjoyed my time there and the amazing projects that we worked on, but Dan decided to relocate to North Carolina as it was simply getting too difficult to get anything built down here. I could not relocate because I had started building a house, so at that point I opened my own studio.
the afore mentioned house is probably my biggest claim to fame… it has been published internationally and it was an amazing experience building it. I am a one hit wonder, but so is ABBA!
Recently I have started shifting the practice back towards art. I have never stopped making and creating (painting, drawing, ceramics, wood, metal) but it has been the side gig. I now want it to be the primary gig. I’ll keep the architect’s license active but use it sparingly… for the unicorn projects. It may seem crazy to change careers at 62, but I have to follow my heart. I’ve kept it on the side for too long.
On the personal side, I am a local…. graduate of South Plantation High and received a Masters in Architecture from the University of Florida. My parents are New York transplants. I love all art, being outdoors,, and my favorite building is a giant oak tree in the middle of the forest.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh no… nothing smooth about it at all!
Architecture is so directly tied to the ebbs and flows of the economy that it is a constant roller coaster – busy one year, slow the next. The curve is flatter if one has government contracts, but working solely in the private sector the economy controls everything. The depression of the late 2000s was brutal. 65% of the architects in the US lost their jobs. I kept the firm active legally speaking, but there was very little income. No one would hire me as they considered me over qualified for everything to which I applied. Eventually I landed a position for a firm developing charter schools. They were good to me, but my heart was never into it. I left when offered an adjunct teaching position at FAUs School of Architecture. The money was horrible and there were zero benefits, but at least I enjoyed teaching.
I had a major health issue in my late thirties that really complicated life. I survived, obviously, but the first four or five years were rough trying to figure out how to navigate the health issue and deal with the high cost of health care in the US.
Architecture is a business and they do not teach how to run a business in architecture school. It is also a very competitive business where a handful of firms do well financially, but most just barely hang on. One needs talent, patience and a quite a bit of luck in this business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As an artist, I am fearless. I have no reservations about trying something new or counter intuitive. My specialty is that I have no specialty. I am not sure it will always be that way… I may find a niche and run with it, but for now I have way more ideas than I have time. I just try things.. I started young with a pencil in hand, and it came very naturally to me. I had art classes that nurtured the skills to a degree, but not significantly. I’ve taken deep dives into ceramics and love it. I am very haptic person and clay is a most satisfying material. I have created small paintings and large sculptures where the skills range required includes knowledge of chemicals, carpentry and welding.
I think that what sets me apart is the diversity of the work, and what ties it all together is that everything I create is concept/narrative driven. What I mean by this is that there isn’t, at face value, a consistent aesthetic to my work. But if one were to study the work they would see the Venn diagram that forms. The area where everything overlaps is (1) concept driven (2) Art Nouveau and Organic tradition influences (3) Eastern Philosophy/architecture influences and (4) Technology Expressive Architecture influences – all of which is to say there is a right brain – left brain balance that is not very common in the creative fields and each creation includes aesthetic and technical seeds of the other creations.
What I am most proud of….
Architecture: The FoxDen, a house I designed and built for myself and my dog
Art: probably ForesTree v2.0, a sculpture complete for Mad Studios a few years ago
Teaching: that handful of students where I know “I reached them”!
Personally: my son, and my integrity
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Creating, because it feels great to set an idea free.
Nature, because the inspiration is unlimited and there is balance in nature.
Traveling, because through other cultures we understand ourselves better.
Beauty, in all it’s forms, because the human condition can sometimes be pretty ugly, and peace can be found in beauty.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scotdistefano.com
- Instagram: scotdistefano_vervemulti
- LinkedIn: Scot DiStefano
Image Credits
“Rear Facade” Myro Rosky
All others: Scot Di Stefano
