Sometimes Cupid doesn't have an arrow.

Just look at Tamaqua artist John G. Scott.He was Cupid with a paint brush, spending a lifetime nurturing love."Nobody really knows how many valentines he did," says Scott's grandson Robert F. Stauffer of Roanoke, Virginia.Scott was a gifted man who overcame adversity and went on to gain national recognition for homespun paintings of rosy-cheeked children.The commercial artist's work illustrated love using cherub faces.His characters gained prominence from the 1880s to the 1920, America's Golden Age of Illustration.He was so talented that the Cream of Wheat Corporation selected four of his renderings for their advertising.At the time, it was a big deal.The Cream of Wheat Corporation was a pioneer in using warm, four-color illustrations to promote their product.But Scott's career really advanced when he produced at least 2,500 spirited valentines for the Gibson Company, and others, from 1924 to 1953.The delightful variations of children in creative settings even include an I "Chews" You valentine that incorporated a real stick of Wrigley's gum.Some of his cards feature fabric, feathers or some other type of unusual treatment.Many of his valentines are die-cut. All are distinctly high-quality images with special attention paid to color and tones.Scott didn't sign most of his work, and it must be noted some of his later creations omitted rosy cheeks.Still, his style is distinctive, and even if a valentine doesn't carry the Gibson name or Scott's signature, Scott's special hand is apparent.He also wrote poetry and free verse greetings that graced the inside of his cards.Today, J.G. Scott valentines are highly collectible.Solid valuesScott's wholesome, clean-cut artwork is a reflection of his personal life."He was a religious man and very active in the Presbyterian Church in Tamaqua," says Stauffer.Scott sang in the choir, taught Sunday school and served on church boards.He was born in Buck Mountain in 1887 and graduated from Girardville High School.As a young man, his talent emerged by accident, literally.A hunting mishap crippled his left arm, preventing him from performing heavy lifting or accomplishing work which required great physical effort.So he studied art.Scott graduated from the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Arts, Philadelphia, in 1910.He was employed as superintendent of Coaldale State General Hospital from 1939 to 1956 and served as Schuylkill County representative in the Pennsylvania General Assembly from 1925 until 1934."He had a tremendous work ethic and continued his commercial artwork during his political career and when he was superintendent," says Stauffer.Scott enjoyed living in Tamaqua, where he owned a brick house at 401 N. Lehigh St., overlooking the community.Artistically, his accomplishments are still being discovered. His gift is appreciated more fully with the passing of time.Scott's legacy has been examined in Katherine Kreider's book "One Hundred Years of Valentines," published by Schiffer, 1999, and in "Cream of Wheat Advertising Art" by Dave Stivers Collectors Showcase, 1986.Another tribute, "John G. Scott and His 2,500 Valentines," was authored by Stauffer and appears in "The Paper and Advertising Collectors' Marketplace" magazine, Vol. 36, No. 2, Feb. 2014.LegacyMany admire Scott as a good-hearted man who didn't let a crippling injury prevent him from achieving greatness.He and his wife, the former Nellie Singleton, had three children, all of whom earned college degrees.Daughter Jean Scott Stauffer graduated from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.Son J.G. Scott Jr. received a medical degree from Duke University and practiced medicine in Reno, Nevada.Robert received an advanced degree in chemistry and worked for Dupont.In later years, Scott suffered health issues.He eventually went blind and died at home in 1975 due to emphysema. He was 87.The valentine in his own life, beloved Nelle, preceded Scott in death by only five months."He helped to take care of her, especially toward the end when she went blind," says Stauffer.Scott gave away much of his artwork over the years.Despite a prolific career, he didn't amass a large collection of his own work.Scott's creations are in the hands of collectors.Much is preserved in scrapbooks, and perhaps some still stored in attics and other locations.Stauffer has been acquiring and cataloging Scott paintings and has run classified ads in the Times News to seek local examples.Similarly, the Tamaqua Historical Society Museum is collecting Scott valentines.According to Dale Freudenberger, society president, a display and tribute will be featured when the Tamaqua museum reopens.In the meantime, Stauffer has been generous in providing the museum with samples of Scott's work.A collection of Scott paintings and valentines will be showcased in the museum on a permanent basis.And that's only fitting, because love, like hope, springs eternal.