Mira Scot
Miroslava "Mira" Scott began her journey in art while a young girl in the Quebec countryside of Canada. She developed a love of nature and wildlife there on Calumet Island where she spent her free time. Mira's work has been influenced by this and the assortment of animals and birds that her father brought home to observe from the Montreal Zoo. Later when her father was a dolphin trainer at the Montreal Aquarium, Mira had the opportunity to observe these incredible creatures up close. Her father called her "eagle eyes" because she had learned from him at an early age to sit still and watch for any subtle movements in the woods, sky and water. "It would give me great pleasure to spot something before he did. My father placed me in a canoe on the Ottawa River at five days old; all bundled up like a papoose." This influence can be seen in her most recent works, "Big Dipper, Little Dipper" (Loggerhead turtles coming ashore) and "Miss Swiss" (cow in pasture in Switzerland).
Her early works were landscapes and wildlife done in watercolors and were very "traditional." A critique by a very well known, nationally collected Canadian artist stated, "What an interesting touch of eroticism." when noticing a touch of red polish on a self portrait that was otherwise a very calm, monochromatic piece. Mira was quite taken aback by this comment and it took her two years before she painted again.