A landmark solo exhibition, "Great Scott" will showcase more than 40 of Scott's past and current works across various mediums, celebrating her significant contributions to visual art in New Orleans. Moreover, it will be the first full retrospective of her work presented at a major New Orleans cultural institution. These programs will provide a deeper context within which to situate her work and artistic process.
Now in her eighties, she has worked as a sculptor, painter, and poet, and she is responsible for helping elevate colored pencil to a fine art form. A New Orleans native, Scott earned her MFA from the University of New Orleans and studied sculpture under the noted local artist Angela Gregory. As a young woman she also studied under John Kennedy Toole, the author of A Confederacy of Dunces. She founded the art program at the University of Holy Cross in 1987 and was named Professor Emerita there in 2018. She has created more than 600 works of art, participated in more than 300 exhibitions, including the London Biennale (2025) and the Chianciano Biennale in Italy (2024), and published two books of poetry and art. Her work is held in the New Orleans Permanent Art Collection, and the Colored Pencil Society of America has recognized her contributions with national honors. Although Scott's work has been exhibited throughout the U.S. and internationally, her entire oeuvre, life, and career has not yet received the recognition or celebration it deserves in New Orleans. The CAC's exhibition will finally showcase her enduring value and legacy.
