21 Over 31 | Scott Metherd

By Bonnie Gangelhoff

Halfway through the interview for this story, Scott Metherd announces, “I’ve got to go. There’s a fire.” As both a firefighter and a painter, Metherd offers a unique perspective. He is a captain in the Denver Fire Department and uses his spare time (he works shifts of 24 hours on and 48 off) as an opportunity to visit his easel.

Metherd began taking painting classes more than 20 years ago at the Art Students League of Denver and has studied with Gordon Brown, Kim English, and Quang Ho. THE PUMPKIN INSPECTOR captures Metherd’s son and other children choosing pumpkins at a local arboretum. “I tend to be Norman Rockwell-ish,” says the artist. “I like to tell a story. And this was a fun day.”

He is represented by Betsy Swartz Fine Art, Bozeman, MT; Foxhall Gallery, Washington, DC; and Loretta Goodwin Gallery, Birmingham, AL.

Featured in our annual “21 Over 31” feature in November 2009