Meet Scooter LaForge

I feel it is my civic duty to introduce y’all to today’s special guest, the artist known as Scooter La Forge. Undoubtedly one of the best names we’ve had on this little blog, and one of the most authentic and original visual artists bashing around the city today. 

A mixture of pop and cartoon imagery, ceramics and clothing, La Forge paints with wit and passion, working across the visual arts. We get down to the nitty gritty, chatting all things candy, painting as a pursuit to paradise, and the intersection of art and fashion.

Some questions with Scooter LaForge

What is your favorite candy?

I love candy, and crave different kinds every day. Now, I am into sour straws, Jelly Belly jelly beans, and Good & Plenty. I LOVE black licorice with chocolate.

What led you to begin painting?

Just a need to escape into a fantasy world. I love creating my own paradises in my paintings. Plus, my dad is a painter. We had original oil paintings all over our house. I grew up in New Mexico, and my mother used to collect Georgia O’Keeffe prints from the Santa Fe Opera.

How would you describe your work in three words?

Acid Golden Books.

How has music influenced your work, if at all?

I listen to music all the time. I love to dance and paint to the beat of music. This is HUGE for me. Right now I’m listening to Missing Persons. I love Dale Bozzio's sound and look. Watch the video for a song called “Right Now”—do it right now! You will see what I mean. Go down the Missing Persons rabbit hole on YouTube…

How did you start working with garments?

I started painting on shirts and selling them on the street in front of Cooper Union, and in nightclubs. I wanted to make a few extra dollars. I brought them into Patricia Field's store. Pat and I became good friends, and together developed the painted garments into what they are today.

What are your thoughts on the relationship between fashion and art?

It's a tradition that’s been going on for decades. Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí collaborated in the 30s and 40s, Yves Saint Laurent and Piet Mondrian in 1965, and Vivienne Westwood and Keith Haring in the 80s. These are just some examples of fashion and art intersecting.

What is the strangest thing you’ve seen on the subway?

I saw someone clipping their toe nails. Someone was eating a bucket of KFC and tossing the bones on the floor of the subway car. He reminded me of Louis XIV!

What inspires you to continue making work in the current sociopolitical climate?

Right now I’ve been in my apartment for 14 days, and I am taking the coronavirus situation seriously. The number of cases just topped the million mark. I have turned my apartment into my paradise; what I call coronavirus cave painting. Almost every wall surface is covered. In the midst of all the anxiety, there is creative energy in the air. The beauty of this time is there are no interruptions. Most of my friends are creating and reading and meditating and evaluating life.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Always be kind to animals. It is not nice to fool with Mother Nature.