For Scotie Cousin art is one of the best ways he connects with the world, and more recently he has been using it to connect with his local community in Atlantic Beach.
Cousin does not contain his artwork to just one form or style, but lately it has been the art that he calls “whimsical” that has been popping up around the Atlantic Beach area and capturing the imagination of its residents.
“It really all started coming up on three years ago, right when the political races were heating up, COVID was rearing its head and the race stuff was getting really bad,” Cousin said. “I’m a master of reading people’s eyes and body language, and you could just tell people were stressed out and taking it out on others.”
Finally, one day while standing in line at the grocery store, he was seeing how people were treating each other and had enough.
“We just weren’t taking care of each other as people, and it was a really depressing time,” Cousin said.
However, being the artist that he is, he decided he might be able to help take the burdens of the world off of people’s shoulders, even if only for a short time.
He decided to begin constructing birds and various other cartoonish animals and began placing them in trees or on the ground throughout his neighborhood.
“I just knew it would make people smile and be such a surprise,” Cousin said.
He was so passionate about the idea that he began creating his first piece in his garage as soon as he got home, while the groceries still sat in the back of the car in the driveway.
“It just hit me all of a sudden on the ride home from that store,” Cousin said. “I took some political signs and just started cutting them up into various shapes.”
According to Cousin, knowing that people are taking time out of their hectic schedules to ponder the artwork in front of them is something that gives him great joy, to know that he has done his part to help touch their lives.
“It’s so cool to see how one little action can have an effect on so many people, and do it in such a positive manner,” Cousin said. “After I saw the reaction, I knew I had to make some more.”
Before long, his neighborhood was full of the colorful creatures and after initially being anonymous, people began to figure out he was the one behind it and began wanting to have some for their yard.
It is not the first time Cousin had come up with an idea of how to cheer people up through his artwork, as he became known for making elaborate drawings with chalk on public streets while living in downtown Chicago.
“People just go by in awe and wonder asking first, who is doing this?” Cousin said. “Followed by why are they doing it? Young and old, it doesn’t matter.”
The City of Atlantic Beach eventually got word of what he was doing and created an approval process but wanted to everything they could to let the positive community vibes continue.
“They have been so great and supportive to work with,” Cousin said.
As time has gone, word of his artwork has spread and with the interest has increased to beyond just his neighborhood and Atlantic Beach, but he hopes it can find a place in the other beach towns.
“I’ve had message after message from people, some who were going through chemo, and they say how ‘it just made them smile, and it was exactly what they needed,’” Cousin said. “It’s not about just making the art itself, but it’s more about fusing it with the things that people see every day.”
He hopes that his work continues to not only inspire them in life, but also encourage people to discover their own creative passion that they can share with their fellow communities.
“You have to takes chances in life, because without a chance, you don’t stand a chance,” Cousin said. “I cannot preach that enough.”
