Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Jeffries.
Hi Scott, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My educational background is as an attorney but my soul is as an artist. I retired from the law in 2006 and now my focus is on the arts. I am a full-time contemporary artist and as of late I am pursuing my vision as a curator, and gallerist so I can put my energies into seeing other artists thrive.
Gallery OB started as the Outback Gallery which was launched as a pop-up gallery during the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival at my Art Studio in Lake Worth. I wanted to give an opportunity for my artist friends to exhibit work in a new environment and also create a sanctuary where they could come and create. Not your typical gallery, we hung paintings in the trees and the fences outside on the property. When someone came up to the studio and asked where the show was, we would say it was “OUTBACK”.
I have many mentors in the Art World and Gallery OB has evolved from their inspiration. My early mentor Noor Blazekovic from Irreversible Projects in Miami taught me that art does not always need to be seen in a gallery to be enjoyed.
I am currently co-curating an exhibit to open in Wilton Manors in November called The Art of Drag. Tedd Davis, Karen Olson of Pride Corner Art, and I wanted to do a show to celebrate the diversity, flamboyance, beauty, and Resilience of Drag. Life is meant to be enjoyed. In December, we will be at RED DOT during Art Basel/Miami Art Week.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Struggling is a mindset that I try to avoid. There have been definite challenges. Mostly internal. Am I wasting my time? Is it worth it? Should I focus my energy somewhere else? When I decided to start working towards the success of others it’s been easy.
I am not in this area to get rich but to try and serve. I found a need for other artists, great artists, whose work may have not otherwise been seen in a public space if not for the shows we have done. What a great experience to see someone sell their first painting and then see the momentum build from that.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Gallery OB, we strive to showcase the best and most diverse art from both established and emerging artists. Our mission is to provide a platform for artists to share their unique perspectives and for art lovers to discover new and exciting pieces. As a new, independent gallery, Gallery OB is building a platform where emerging and established artists are given the the freedom to produce exhibitions in a contemporary environment.
That environment could be a backyard or an Art Fair. You’ll be able to find us this year at RED DOT during Miami Art Week. Along with my work, we will feature the work of Ryan A. Troisi, an American artist from New Jersey with a sincere passion for creative documentation. Drew Cooke, a multimedia artist from New Orleans, Austin Hackl, a painter from Palm Beach and a few surprises. We are offering an eclectic group of artists who are also great people. My goal is to work with great humans.
I don’t care if you’re the world’s greatest painter, if you don’t take your shopping cart back to the grocery store, we will look for an alternative.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
My life is an open book at this point. I was an elite athlete through high school and college as a swimmer. I got a full athletic scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh and was quite successful. I went to law school and then practiced law and had great experiences clerking for a judge, working as a public defender, and then defending doctors in medical malpractice cases. When I first moved to Florida, I spent some time working with various banks that were affected by the mortgage crises.
Something that most informs my existence today is that I am clean and sober. In the early 2000s, I found myself drinking too much, smoking crack, and shooting heroin. Not a good combination. With a lot of help and support, I have not touched those things in 17 years. I spent a lot of time not wanting anyone to know but now understand that by speaking out loud I can be a bridge to help someone.
I work with Compassion Behavioral Health treatment center in Hollywood which offers various levels of care individually designed to focus on producing long-term, sustainable, health, and recovery in both mental health and addiction.
Contact Info:
- Website: galleryob.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galleryob_palmbeach/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-jeffries-0381b545/
- Other: https://www.scottyjart.com/
