Brent Evan Scofield – A.K.A. Professor Quentin Ziplash is an assemblage artist residing in West Michigan. Brent began his passion very early in life when his parents set-up a "workshop" for him at the age of four. All discarded household appliances were given to him for "repair" (dis-assembly) where he learned the inner workings of many things. Repurposing and re-assembly of disparate objects began shortly thereafter with constructions of space stations and astronauts made from plastic army men painted metallic silver and adorned with rocket packs made from engine exhaust manifolds from his plastic car models plus a host of other cobbled space vehicles.

Brent's art school training consisted of intense study at the High School level under two recent graduates from the University Of Michigan School Of Art and one other veteran art teacher who encouraged the fringe and progressive art of the time. Disciplines explored included drawing, printmaking, mixed media collage, found-object sculpture, and jewelry making. Brent was honored with the Senior Artist of the Year award in his 1976 graduating class. College consisted of an Associates Degree in Graphic Arts and Printing. Brent kept his passion for art and creativity alive through many years of raising two families and a career in graphic arts and printing with numerous "side projects" of artistic expression.

In recent years Brent blended his Mother's love of antiques and his Father's scientific background with his own passion for the old inventors and people of science like Tesla, Edison, and Einstein to create pieces that fit the genre of "Steampunk".

I've been blessed with great Parents who told me to "dare to be different" and encouraged my whacky artwork, great mentors in art and life, and the inspiration of other creative souls who share their great ideas and inventive works for the world to see.

My work is about surrounding myself with "piles" of bits and elements collected over a lifetime that share a vintage aesthetic or have an elegance of their own that could be viewed differently if presented or combined differently. My pieces evolve based on elements and parts that have a "natural" fit and work together aesthetically or mechanically. I try numerous combinations before the "right pieces fall together" and move forward from there. There is never a blueprint, or plan, or even a sketch to follow. The pieces just evolve and take on a "life" of their own.

I like my finished works to generate the "tilted head" reaction like a dog that hears an unusual noise and a smirk or a smile, not from the dog, but the viewer. This sometimes happens when someone recognizes something common that they have seen before but are confused and/or entertained by its placement. I like to create enough interest and curiosity that the piece begs further investigation by the viewer to "find out more" and inspire further interaction with it.

What I do with my art is purely for personal enjoyment and I don't create art for the purpose of selling it. I've enjoyed the recognition on www.flickr.com as it's the only venue that my work has had until now.

With few exceptions, all works are assembled primarily with nuts, bolts, and screws. Glue is used as a very last resort.