For the past 15 years, Fargo photographer Scott Seiler has been heavily involved in the local arts community, and while his latest project might suggest he’s ready to sit down for a bit, nothing could be further from the truth.
“These days, I keep a travel companion in my car. I call it ‘have chair, will travel,’” Seiler said.
His new photo exhibit is a landscape experiment that merges an every-day object — a chair — with the natural environment.
Two of Seiler’s chair photos will be a part of The Art of Giving – TAG auction event in Grand Forks on Sept. 19. This year the event features artworks from more than 350 artists with a portion of the proceeds set to benefit the Grand Forks Children’s Museum.
Seiler’s chair-meets-landscape experiment brings a little nostalgia, too.
“During cleanup week last spring, I picked up an old-fashioned chair like my grandmothers had,” he said. “So I decided to bring it along on my next photo road trip.”
Sit down if you aren’t already, because the results are a “surprising and rewarding” two-fold visual experience, according to Seiler.
Chair Sunflowers
Contributed / Scott Seiler
“People notice the chair first, and then their eyes are drawn to the vibrant sunflower fields in full bloom or the golden waves of wheat ready for harvest,” he said.
Seiler hopes viewers see the photos as an invitation to rest their minds and reflect.
“I believe the photos can stir a memory or a need for reflection that can be hard to come by these days,” he added. “Resting one’s brain can be powerful.”
While photography isn’t his full time job, it certainly has helped shape Seiler’s career in marketing and communications. He’s currently the marketing manager at Razor Tracking where he gets to use his visual skills for digital media and design.
Chair Wheat Harvest
Contributed / Scott Seiler
In many ways, Seiler is also the ultimate local art supporter. He’s served on the board of directors for The Arts Partnership, Fargo Moorhead Visual Artists, Fargo Marathon and Great Plains Food Bank.
“Supporting local art groups is important to me because I learn so much by attending their events, performances and connecting with other artists and art supporters,” Seiler said. “These experiences inspire me creatively and remind me of the vital role the arts play in our local economy and in uplifting the work of fellow artists.”
Seiler is a member artist at Gallery 4 in Downtown Fargo and currently has work displayed at Red Door Art Gallery in Wahpeton and the Bismarck Downtown Artist Cooperative in Bismarck. He also participates in ArtWORKS, a program of The Arts Partnership that provides venues such as bank lobbies, restaurants or libraries, with rotating exhibits of art.
“I participate in art shows throughout the year and will display some of my newer pieces for customers at Gallery 4 as well,” he said, with hopes of traveling around North Dakota and Minnesota to showcase his landscape-with-chair series.
Seiler said he enjoys seeing how the local arts community has evolved and grown over the years.
“One of the best ways the community can support it is by buying a ticket to a performance or purchasing original artwork rather than spending on mass-produced items online,” he said. “Every local purchase helps keep creativity alive and thriving in our own backyard.”
This article is part of a content partnership with The Arts Partnership, a nonprofit organization cultivating the arts in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo. For more information, visit
Lonna Whiting is an independent journalist and content strategy consultant based in Fargo. She covers a broad range of topics, including local arts, health care, senior living, startups, technology and education. Whiting also writes extensively about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease for journals and publications such as Being Patient, an award-winning global news forum for dementia researchers, physicians, patients and their care partners. Read more of Whiting’s work at lonna.co.