WHO AM I?

Kia ora,

I'm Makouri Scott.

I come from Aotearoa New Zealand ... Land of the long white cloud.

I'm a photographer, painter and environmental artist who has travelled and created internationally for over 20 years. I aim to be the first professional artist in space when, as a founding 100 member, Virgin Galactic takes off in 2011. My seat is booked and I'm ready for take off.

In the meantime, I have plenty to be getting on with working predominantly in my studio in Otago New Zealand. Art is the only language that makes any real sense to me...when I'm working in the studio time stands still and I feel extremely chilled.

Being an artist enables me to be incredibly free ... I don't have to answer to anyone and I can work anywhere in the world I choose.

Kia Kaha

WHY AM I AN ARTIST

Destiny.
In my early 20's I was a sponsored extreme skier and heli-ski guide. It's fair to say I was pushing it a bit dropping 80 foot cliffs for fun.

Sadly, a serious accident at "treble cone ski field" in Wanaka New Zealand put a stop to all that. I was forced to pursue an alternative career so started taking my creativity more seriously, eventually gaining enough confidence and experience to hold a solo exhibition which subsequently sold out. I was working in the art department on "Lord of the Rings" at the time and made a major decision to commit full time to my painting.

I'm now an established artist and have produced works (now held in collections) throughout Europe, Canada, USA, South America, Australasia, Carribean, Indonesia, Asia, Middle East and New Zealand. Or to put it short... all over the place. I've recently been fortunate enough to exchange an oil painting from my 'Synapse' series for an original Picasso. So as the saying goes, every cloud.

MAKOURI MISCELLANY

Live everyday as if it's your last.

I consider myself blessed to have experienced so much in life. It has all contributed to my life and work as an artist. I travel a lot and seem to constantly be on one mission or another pursuing my love for diving, surfing, snowboarding and culture. I'm looking forward to my space trip and I know I have so many more adventures to come.

1. I've spent a lot of my life in the water, surfing and diving around the world. Tahitian Manta rays, , Eagle rays, Fish balls of Tuna 1000 strong, Various sharks, Turtles, Whales and Dolphins.

2. I'm a diving addict. I have over 1000 dives under my belt. You've not lived until you've tickled the underbelly of a huge ray.

3. A few weeks back I finally made it out to Komodo national park. These are some of the most diverse virgin reefs on the planet... incredible diving!

4. In the early days I enjoyed going bush and found myself in some very remote indigenous regions eating monkey stew with old Mentawai cannibals in Sumatra.

5. Nothing prepares you for communicating with Amazonian Shamans whilst lost in the Amazon like... erm... communicating with Amazonian Shamans whilst lost in the Amazon.

6. Lately I've been getting into cycle touring on my mountain bike inspired by my brother who embarks on massive international adventures. Last year I cycled around 5 islands in Tahiti sleeping in my tent on the beach.

7. I'm learning to become a pilot and have been training in a 1942 Tiger Moth... Brilliant fun!

8. Part of my g-force astronaut training has been pulling multiple loops and barrel rolls at 10,000 feet in a P51 Mustang over lake Wanaka.z

9. I still snowboard but only powder...my dream is to nail some massive high speed lines in Alaska before I leave the planet in 2011.

10. A travel highlight from recent times was 8 days of intensive Hieroglyphic teachings in Egypt. I would meet with an Egyptian scholar from Cairo every morning at 4.30am and travel to various temples in Luxor attempting to decipher vast walls of ancient code. Very challenging and enjoyable to say the least and after 8 days I could go into a temple and get a feel for the story being told.

11.I haven't conducted inertial-confinement fusion experiments to generate thermonuclear neutrons on subnanosecond time scales... But there's always tomorrow.

12. I'm currently planning an African Safari.