Murals in Oconto County
About the Artist
Snowy Owl - Location: Robert's Hometown Hardware on Main Street, OcontoIt was definitely a privilege to grow up in Wisconsin. I was always surrounded by family and friends

As a competitive snowboarder in my teen years, I was definitely drawn to the Colorado Rocky Mountains. At 19 years of age, I moved to Colorado to snowboard and attend the Colorado Institute of Art. I have always enjoyed the creative process and fine art painting. Commercial art at the time seemed to be a sensible fit for me. As the world became more digital, my “work” became less illustrative and turned into many hours in front of a computer screen. As an outdoor enthusiast, it wasn’t the greatest fit. Wanting to spend more time on the mountain, I worked in the live music business for many years. That enabled me to earn a living at night and ski and snowboard whenever possible.
To fulfill the creative urge, I also worked as an artisan in a primitive bronze foundry. My mentor John Scott was an amazing artist. The relationship started with me being a laborer for him. I greatly enjoyed the work; it was physically demanding, hot, and dirty! Over a 25-year relationship, John and I definitely adopted each other and became family. He produced artwork on his mountaintop until he passed at age 96. Very inspirational; I miss him.
Eventually, I grew tired of the nightclub business. I worked in the ski industry as a snowcat operator for 18 seasons at Loveland Ski Area. I loved building and maintaining the ski runs and seeing the sunrise from the top of the continental divide every morning, If I wasn’t in whiteout conditions! This lifestyle also enabled me to travel with my wife, Jackie, a school teacher, in the summer months. We have spent many summers living on old boats.
I always knew that I would return to Wisconsin to be with my family. Jackie and I, and our trusty Labrador Maple, moved to Oconto in 2019. We love the small-town feel and great people. The kids are outside playing, and so are the adults! Everyone has been so friendly and inviting.
I also knew that once I “slowed down,” I wanted to rekindle my love for painting. It has always been a challenge to capture an animal's essence or a landscape's beauty. I have always been intrigued by the fascinating idea of evoking emotion through the use of shape and color. Painting is always something that I strive to be “better” at.
Working on the mural project with the City of Oconto has been a real honor. Thanks to everyone involved. I hope that the images bring many smiles. The support system, from the local shops to the artists and artisans in the area, is truly amazing.
Sincerely,
Scott Sager