In a dynamic conversation on the Arty Gras Podcast, host Sarah Lapierre sat down with artist, gallery owner, and community builder Scott Jeffries to discuss his incredible journey from corporate law and active addiction to becoming a celebrated full-time painter, sculptor, and advocate for creative freedom.

The Spark: Art as Inheritance and Intentionality

Scott Jeffries’ artistic path began in the Bronx, inspired by his grandmother, a passionate hobbyist painter. After her passing, he inherited her studio tools—a box of brushes, canvases, and tubes of paint.

This inheritance served as a catalyst:

"I just remember painting with intention, like on purpose... This is what I love to do."

While he had always been a "doodler," receiving his grandmother’s cherished tools shifted his focus, moving him toward a deliberate, consuming passion. He stressed that the value of his work is not based on time or materials, but on him—on the passion, history, and experience he brings to the canvas.

The Path to Freedom: From Law to Layers of Paint

Scott's early career was in law, practicing as a public defender and defending doctors in multi-million dollar medical malpractice cases. This demanding, detail-oriented work taught him how to think systematically.

However, in 2006, Scott got sober and moved to Florida, leaving the legal world behind. This decision was key to unlocking his artistic self. He views his painting process as the "opposite of being a lawyer."

Logic vs. Freedom: The legal mind is often hampered by the pursuit of perfection and fear of error; the artistic mind embraces chaos, freedom, and progress over perfection, urging artists to accept the piece as "done."
Knowing Your Worth: Scott uses his legal negotiation skills to stand firm on his value: "I'm not here to waste time debating you about how much like what I don't like. Okay, you don't want it. I don't [care]." He champions "going for the no," recognizing that abundance means the right collector will eventually come along.
He loves the opportunity to go into his studio and create "something from nothing," viewing his spontaneous style as "high-level doodling."

Building Community Through Proactivity

Scott is a firm believer that artists must be proactive in creating their own careers and communities.

Gallery OB and Taking Risks

His gallery journey began organically at his home in Lake Worth with the Outback Gallery, inviting artists to display their work in his backyard. He realized that waiting for traditional gallery representation was inefficient. This eventually evolved into Gallery OB (Out Back, more cache!), which now actively takes Palm Beach artists on the road to major shows like Aqua and Satellite during Art Basel in Miami.

"We have to be proactive in our own lives, in our own business... I want artists to be capable of what’s available. They can do these things."

His mindset for these major art fairs is to "expect to sell nothing that day." The true value is connection and building long-term momentum, as many sales materialize months later after collectors visit his studio for the "full Scott Jeffries experience."

"Come Paint With Me" 🎨

Scott’s commitment to community and recovery is most visible in his studio space at The Peach. Every Tuesday, he hosts "Come Paint With Me"—a free, open-to-all community painting night. He started the concept after volunteering to run art groups for adolescents in treatment, recognizing the need to provide creative alternatives to destructive behaviors.

The Tuesday night sessions are strictly not a sip-and-paint, removing external distractions like alcohol and phones. Scott’s goal is simple:

"Stop looking at something else. Like create something that's inside of you."

He encourages participants to embrace mistakes and layer their paint, just as he uses dried paint chips from the community sessions as textural material (his "new gold") for his own monumental sculptures.

Advice for Living a Joyful Life

Scott Jeffries’ final advice is rooted in his recovery journey and the power of a positive mindset:

Just Try: Don't let fear hold you back.
Be Present: Put the phone away in a museum and fully immerse yourself in the art.
Serve Others: Stop focusing on your own problems; living selflessly and helping others build community is the "antithesis of isolation."

If you feel like your artistic work isn't working out, remember: "It always works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it's not the end."