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E.P. Scott

Painting, Visual / Media

My artistic journey is a search for identity and self-awareness. I am an adoptee who is in Reunion with both the maternal and paternal sides of my biological family.

When I found my birth mother at age 32, I learned that she was an artist. I have since learned that her mother was too. At the age of 54, I found my birth father as well as three half-siblings that I never knew I had.

Now in my sixties, I have begun to explore the full dimensions of my identity through the medium of oil painting. I like to paint my biological family, to feel more connected to them. Much of this has to do with piecing together my fragmented identity. It seems like a holistic, healing activity to me.

About the Artist

Born and adopted in 1961 in Alexandria, VA.  My adoptive parents named me Edward D. Knight, which is still my legal name.  I am painting as E.P. Scott.  The E is for Edward, the name of my biological maternal grandfather.  The P is for the first name of my birthmother.  Scott is the name of my birth father, and his mother's maiden name.  Raised in Damascus, MD.  Graduated George Washington University with a B.A. in Journalism.   Worked at The Washington Post for many years in the Circulation and IT Departments.  Now retired. In Reunion with biological family - maternal side since 1993 and paternal side since 2015, and still close to adoptive family.  Discovered that my birth mother is an artist. As an adult adoptee, I try to maintain a “both-and” approach to my biological and adoptive families instead of an “either-or” approach.  Married to Steven Frank since 2009, and in relationship since 1982.   Steven was born Deaf and went blind later in life.   2023 graduate of Master Artist Program at The Compass Atelier in Rockville, MD.  Work featured in Thesis Show at the Mansion at Strathmore in February 2023.  The theme of my thesis was "Reunion", meaning reunion with my biological family.  This work explored the psychological implications of that reunion. Steven and I are planning to move to Frederick, MD in fall of 2023 and I will have a studio there. Once I am settled in Frederick I plan to start taking commissions for portraits. I plan to celebrate our identities through my portraiture. A member of the Capital Coalition for Adoptee Rights, Adoptees United, and American Adoption Congress.

E.P. Scott website E.P. Scott Art

Artist's Statement

I am going through a transition to a new home in Frederick, MD, and a new art studio there.  I plan to start accepting commissions for portraits in which I help my portrait subjects celebrate their roots, as I have celebrated mine in my work. 

Featured Work

Photos

I never met my biological grandfather Edward, who happens to share my name. (My adoptive parents named me Edward after my adoptive mother's older brother.). I did this painting to feel more connected to him. It is based on a photo that my birth mother gave me of my grandfather as a young man. The background is an old encyclopedia that had been handed down from his father, that my birth mother gave to me. A thread that runs through us is our love of reading. If my birthmother had told her parents about her pregnancy with me, how would they have reacted? That makes them seem like an enigma to me. However, I have been in touch with many biological cousins who have fond memories of my maternal grandparents. My cousins have all been welcoming. I have met one in person, and keep in touch with others on Facebook.
Based on a photo my birthmother gave me of herself in 1986, seven years before I reunited with her. When I reunited with her in 1993, I learned that she was an artist. She said that she had been able to hold me for 15 minutes, and she knew from my fingers that I would be an artist someday. When she was 3 months pregnant, in 1960, she had told her employer of her pregnancy. At the time, she had held a commercial artist position with the government. Her employer's negative response had led to the loss of her job. Temporary economic circumstances, and the stigma of being an unwed mother had led her to place me for adoption, reluctantly. She was happy to be reunited with me, when I was 32, and was open with me about the identity of my birthfather. However, I put off searching for my birthfather because of fear of rejection, mainly. When I did search for him and found him in 2015, my birthmother was happy for me. My birthmother did not have any other children. By the time I found her, her parents had already passed, never having known about the existence of me - their only grandchild. In 2003 my birthmother came out as a birthmother to her remaining family, her many cousins, at a family reunion. My birthmother is still living and I am now her caregiver. In the fall I plan to move to the same retirement community where she lives. She is my biggest supporter of my artistic endeavors. (My adoptive parents have already passed - my adoptive father in 2010, and my adoptive mother in 2015. If they were still alive I am sure they would be supportive too!)
The summer after I found my birth father, I visited the places in Ohio where he grew up. I took a selfie in front of a house in Bay Village built by his father. In this piece, I insert my paternal grandfather into the picture, standing behind me. I was happy to discover this heritage, and the whole experience of the trip was dreamlike.
Painting of my birthfather and me circa 2016. I had found him the year prior, and we had taken a paternity test to prove that I had found the right guy. I was happy I had found him but regretted it had taken me so long to work up the nerve. My birthmother had told me his name. She had not kept it a secret from me. Meeting my birthfather was surreal. He passed away after 2 and a half years of knowing him. It still feels like it was all a dream.
Of course, my birthmother and I were not together while I was being raised by my adoptive family. So, I did a painting of us together based loosely on old individual photos of us. I painted myself semi-transparently to indicate that at that time I was a ghost in her life. I would materialize in her life in flesh and blood in 1993, at the age of 32. Then, she lived in North Carolina and I lived in Maryland. Now we both live in Maryland. I am her caregiver in the sense that I drive her to doctor's appointments. She is an artist too. When I was born, she looked at my hands and knew that I would be an artist someday. In retirement, I'm manifesting it.