“Farrell’s abstracted photographs appear to be painterly landscapes—which is the beauty and surprise of them. His ethereal, figurative photos are equally captivating.”
“My photography can best be described as an art of observation. Whether the subject matter is abstracted landscapes or seascapes, flora or figurative, I make a conscious effort to look past the obvious to expose what is often overlooked. My “alternative landscapes” are found in both natural environs and on man-made substrates such as concrete walls, glass panes and on fiberglass, wood and steel hulls. Much of my figurative or representational work is approached from an abstract perspective, with a desire and intent to present the obvious in a somewhat more interesting light.” — SF
Farrell was born in Englewood, NJ and graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University. After 22 years working in the media industry, he started a custom, fine-art printing business and began his photography career, taking pictures of what he calls “alternative landscapes.” His work has been exhibited at William Ris Gallery in Jamesport, NY, The Weathered Barn in Greenport, Collier West in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the Stanek Gallery in Philadelphia, PA, and folioeast, East Hampton, NY.
A resident of Huntington, Farrell spends much of his time photographing along the North Fork, as well as favorite locations from Fire Island to Montauk.
Scott Farrell by Jaime Lopez
ARTIST'S CAROUSEL
rotating exhibit of current & recently sold work
SCOTT FARRELL speaks to folioeast’s COCO MYERS
CM/ WHERE DO YOU DO YOUR WORK? MOSTLY OUTSIDE?
SF/ Most of my work time is spent outside exploring, observing and shooting. The rest of the time I’m sitting in front of my iMac, running prints and cutting mats. I also have an additional working space in the basement—our seldom used ping pong table comes in extremely handy for laying out work.
CM/ DOES THE LANDSCAPE OF THE EAST END INFLUENCE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?
SF/ Water, the coastline and beaches have always had a major influence and a huge part of my photographic art. My grandparents lived in Valley Stream so we'd be out on Long Island quite often—especially in summer as my grandfather had a fishing boat at Point Lookout.
CM/ HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CREATING IMAGES THAT LOOK SO MUCH LIKE PAINTINGS? DO YOU ALTER THEM?
SF/ No, I don't manipulate my images in any attempt to transform them into something they are not. I absolutely love using a camera because it allows me to capture observations and discoveries exactly as I see them.
CM/ WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR OUT HERE?
SF/ Winter is, by far and without question, my favorite time of the year on the East End. It's quiet, uncrowded, and the light, tones and textures of the season are so unique and inspiring to me. Also, when it's cold outside I'm less likely to be distracted by gardening and yard work, so I'm certainly more productive from an artistic standpoint.
CM/ DO YOU HAVE ANY WORKS BY EAST END ARTISTS IN YOUR HOME?
SF/ I've recently begun to acquire some East End artists' works. My first was a gift from Greenport photographer Michael Edelson. I also have a painting from Ty Stroudsburg entitled "Orient," a beautiful piece that I feel so fortunate to own.