Scott Zaragoza

Scott Zaragoza serves as Senior Lecturer in the Foundation department at Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, having held this position since January 2022 after previously working as a Lecturer from August 2004 to December 2021. He maintains additional teaching roles at Santa Monica College (2014-2016) and Brentwood Art Center (2022).

His educational background:

• Undergraduate Studies in Painting and Drawing, Otis College of Art and Design, 1999-2003
• East Los Angeles Community College, 1995-1997

Zaragoza practices photorealism across diverse media including oil, acrylic, gouache, gold leaf, charcoal, colored pencil, and oil pastel. His artistic focus centers on rendering likeness in animals, people, and objects to explore objective and subjective perception of form. This philosophy directly informs his teaching methodology, where he emphasizes material experimentation, critical thinking, and technical development to expand students' visual vocabulary through both traditional and unconventional approaches.

His professional recognition includes:

• Teaching Excellence Award for Part-Time Instructor, Otis College of Art and Design, Spring 2022
• Artist Assistant and Apprentice to Meg Cranston, 2014-2015

Zaragoza mentors undergraduate foundation students in drawing and painting techniques while sustaining his professional practice through high-profile commissions. His artwork appears in prestigious collections including The Gilbert B. Silverman Collection, Westime Watches, Richard Mille, and Netflix, with recent collaborations including Brain Dead's Fall/Winter 2023 clothing line featuring original Jeff Goldblum portraits.

Notable institutional engagements include commissioned work for Netflix's Los Angeles location (2019) and group exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2018) and George Billis Gallery (2012), with features in Flaunt Magazine, Juxtapoz, LA Weekly, and LA Times.