Artist Profile: Scott McIntyre

Muralist and Musician

By Heike Hellmann-Brown

Scott McIntyres murals can be found from the West Coast of California to the kingdom of Jordan, halfway around the world.

McIntyre grew up in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and knew early on that he wanted to be an artist. In second grade, teachers requested my help to create bulletin boards for their classes. It was a talent that helped me to get out of math class, McIntyre jokes. His parents cultivated his artistic skills by sending him to art camps and planning vacations around visiting a Frank Lloyd Wright house or seeing an Andrew Wyeth painting. Later, McIntyre earned a scholarship and graduated with a BFA degree from the Atlanta College of Art.

McIntyres first job allowed him to decorate window backdrops for Elizabeth Taylors White Diamonds perfume launch and Evander Holyfields book presentation at Macys. Additionally, he instructed students at Emory Universitys theater department in faux finishing and marbleizing techniques. Set design taught me to paint big, McIntyre recalls. With the whole stage as my canvas and a 4-inch brush in my hand, I learned to create depth with perspective and color. On top of that, I had to paint fast, and the final piece needed to be appealing from various angles.

Soon McIntyre was approached by interior designers. One of his earliest clients was actor Alan Thicke, who flew him out to Los Angeles to paint his sons room. McIntyre continued to enhance multimillion-dollar homes, but ultimately missed the artistic control that other projects offered. His recent works have included painting a mural in the Media Center of Mt. Bethel Elementary School in Marietta and commissioned paintings for a multitude of venues, including churches, restaurants, bars, and assisted living communities. Still, McIntyre cherishes his work at local schools. Painting during school hours gives students the chance to observe a visiting artist, he notes. For schools in need of financing such a large project McIntyre developed Legacy Murals. During a PTA-event, he explains, students can use a laser pointer to choose a location on the mural where their name will be hidden, for a nominal fee. This program not only finances the mural costs but also raises PTA funds for years to come.

McIntyres style is inspired by the realism of Andrew Wyeth and the storytelling of Norman Rockwell. His murals grace interior and exterior walls and will last for decades. In 2011, McIntyre was invited by the Jordan River Foundation to guide 20 young artists in painting a mural in the Royal Village of Zarqa. Murals touch people, McIntyre says of his dedication. They create a feeling of belonging and leave a lasting impact. Murals make this world a better place.

McIntyre is also a seasoned musician who learned playing stand-up bass from Trigger Alpert of the original Glenn Miller Band. Currently, McIntyre plays an energetic mix of early New Orleans-style jazz in The Jugtime Ragband. One day I hope to implement Legacy Murals worldwide while performing with the band at international venues letting the beauty of what I love be what I do. 

McIntyreMurals.com