Samuel T. Scholtes is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice is an act of alchemical  translation, transforming raw experience into tangible energy across painting, poetry, and  sonic architecture (performing as ZORB). Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Scholtes’s  visual work is rooted in Energetic Abstraction and a Neo-Expressionist Sensibility,  distinguished by a high-contrast chromatic dialogue and a commitment to radical, visceral  honesty. 

Scholtes achieves his signature density and texture by largely abandoning the brush,  preferring the sharp edge of the painting knife to aggressively yet gently lash the paint onto  the canvas. This spontaneous, intuitive process gives rise to the pareidolic emergence of  archetypal figures and mythic motifs, grounding his abstract expression in recognizable  narratives of duality, resilience, and transformation. His perspective is profoundly informed  by a background that bridges the structure of business and manual labor with the profound journey of addiction survival and spiritual awakening. 

His musical identity, ZORB, is integral to his interdisciplinary practice, with recent releases  including the albums “Back at my House” (2024) and “Feelin’ Foxy” (2025). As ZORB, he has  performed at notable Pacific Northwest venues, including the Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend,  OR, and Kelly’s Olympian in Portland, OR. 

Scholtes's painting has been exhibited regionally, including the display of his work "Dream of  Sunsets" at the Layor Art Supply Gallery in Bend, Oregon. His pieces are currently held in  private collections across the Pacific Northwest. Scholtes is a self-taught artist and author,  currently preparing for his highly anticipated debut solo exhibition. He lives and works in  Bend, Oregon.