Hermosa Beach's Scott Berrum is a self-taught artist who took to creative expression fairly late in life. He didn't take it up until he was 30 and living in San Francisco. He dove in head-first, however, and eventually took up studies at the Cottonwood Art Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he studied under Sparky LeBold, Chuck Mardosz, Eric Bransby and Skip Whitcomb.

In a short period of time, Berrum has been able to learn, absorb and borrow from established techniques and form his own distinctive style.

Of late, he's been painting a lot of clowns. But not your typical clowns.

"I like to paint somewhat realistic, hopefully satirical and usually surreal subject matter," he explains. "I work both from photographs (mostly my own) and from scratch, creating scenes and events that hopefully create a release of laughter for the viewer. Not necessarily an "Oh, that's funny" laugh. Not a sympathy laugh. Not a laugh of embarrassment, pity or anger. More of a "What the fuh?" laugh. A laugh that hopefully stays with the viewer long after he or she has moved onto the next painting.

Berrum seems quite pleased that, although his work has reached a high level of quality, it continues to evolve stylistically.

"I believe this metamorphosis will be for the better," he says.

More of Berrum’s work can be seen at his personal website, www.themoot.com.

At left, "Billy's First Clown."