Wearing the West
Alumni explores issues facing the West through wearable art
by Claire Prasad (’18)
When Scout Invie (’19) first traveled to Great Salt Lake as part of a first-year class at Westminster University, the experience was unlike anything she’d encountered before. Scout grew up in Idaho and Wyoming, so she was no stranger to the American West. However, standing on the shore of such an unusual, otherworldly environment and learning about the issues facing it had a profound impact on her life.
In addition to managing marketing for nonprofit independent bookseller Torrey House Press and serving as a freelance writer and editor for art organizations, Scout is an award-winning artist whose work is focused on issues facing the American West. She works mostly with fiber arts, creating wearable pieces like corsets and dresses. She also incorporates performance into her art by wearing her pieces and photographing them in outdoor spaces threatened by climate change and human impact.
“I created a series of corsets focused on climate issues, like water scarcity, wildfires, and drought. I then wore these art pieces to places like burned forests and Great Salt Lake to represent the anxiety of living in the West through these environmental impacts,” Scout says.
Although she tackles serious subjects in her art, Scout leaves room for joy—weaving unique shapes, bright colors, and text into her pieces. These elements draw viewers in and invite them to think critically about the world around them.
“The local and political climate impacts the way that people are making music, art, and performance, as well as what people are researching and studying,” Scout says. “I noticed a shift away from exploring what’s at stake through playfulness and curiosity—something I hope to address in my own art.”
In one of her recent projects, Scout created a series of cowboy outfits, including chaps, vests, hats, gloves, and boots. At the surface level, these pieces connect to what Scout describes as the West’s obsession with cowboys, the Wild West, and manifest destiny. They’re also deeply personal, representing the changes that Scout has witnessed in a city she grew up in.
“One of the pieces I made is a set of sparkly red cowboy boots that say ‘No place like home’ on the back. They’re part of a recent series— a very personal project about my memories of growing up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before it became the wealthiest and most economically unequal place in the US,” Scout says. “There’s a lot of memory work in this series, but I also hope to examine issues of wealth inequality.”
As part of winning the 2024 Ogden Contemporary Arts (OCA) Choice Award, her work will be featured in her first solo show at OCA from May 2 to July 2, 2025. In addition, hosted by the nonprofit arts organization 801 Salon, Scout will showcase her art at a solo show opening on July 12, 2025, at Atelier Mill in Salt Lake City. As she continues to bring her art to new audiences and raise awareness of issues facing the American West, Scout feels hopeful about addressing big problems through creativity and collaboration.
“I’ve had a lot of fun and growth in exploring different disciplines of performance and design—and not feeling stuck with one medium,” Scout says. “I’m feeling more curious and hopeful about tackling these big problems through collaboration with others.”
About the Westminster Review
The Westminster Review is Westminster University’s bi-annual alumni magazine that is distributed to alumni and community members. Each issue aims to keep alumni updated on campus current events and highlights the accomplishments of current students, professors, and Westminster alum.
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