High school custodian leaves an impact
Scott Rolfs cleans Mounds View High School after drawing comic strips for cereal companies, working for landscaping companies and self-publishing his book.
By Liam Neiwert
Scott Rolfs paced back and forth on the grass. He evenly spread pesticide throughout the yard. Rolfs diligently walked laps, working hard to eliminate the unwanted flora, when he spotted his boss, Dan Phipps, spying on him from a few houses down the street. He called Rolfs over.
“He knew I was not your regular employee,” Rolfs said. “Because of my weirdness that I kind of emanate.”
Phipps told Rolfs about a woman’s yard TruGreen had accidentally sprayed and the way she broke the news to her grandchildren.
“She had to tell them that her garden gnomes were killed,” Rolfs said.
The idea of slain garden gnomes from Rolfs’ employer, combined with the amount of time he spent silently spraying and walking during that job — 10 to 15 miles a day — gave him the inspiration to write and draw his self-published comic book, The Spray. The Spray is the first comic book Rolfs has written and published independently. The plot follows a weed sprayer, like Rolfs, who accidentally sprays the wrong patch of grass. That patch of grass then comes alive and tries to eat all the garden gnomes on that lawn.
Rolfs launched a Kickstarter campaign for The Spray in May of 2021, with several different tiers that gave contributors signed printed books, digital copies, buttons, trading cards, and more. Rolfs surpassed his goal of $998 a little over two weeks after his project launched. In addition to its Kickstarter fame, The Spray has sold out the few times it has been distributed through comic stores.
While drawing for himself remains his passion, Rolfs discovered a new interest in teaching young artists in 2007. Rolfs runs a drawing presentation program called “Draw from Your Wild Side.” Three to four times a year, Rolfs goes to a school in a city around the metro on the weekend and offers drawing lessons for children in the community. The most recent was a lesson on how to draw hot rods in Marshall. Occasionally, his classes take him several hours away. Rolfs used to do a presentation in Thief River Falls, a five and a half-hour drive from the cities in March. He switched recently to a shorter 90-minute drive to Mankato.
“They’re like between fourth grade and eighth grade, talking about Taylor Swift or Pokémon or telling you that my music is irrelevant,” Rolfs said. “And I’m just like, you’re here to draw, let’s just do that.”
Rolfs has had many jobs throughout his life, some of them using his artistic talents. In the summer of 1985, Rolfs drew caricatures at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. During his time at Great America, Rolfs worked 12 hours a day, five to six days a week, while enduring unpleasant working conditions, from bomb threats to rain to rude guests. Despite hating his first summer there, Rolfs returned for a second.
“I don’t know if I’m manic when I draw. Sometimes I just crank, and other times I’m just too dang tired.” — Scott Rolfs, illustrator
“The guys I worked with were really nice, and everybody’s really talented,” Rolfs said. “I tried to be a little more social.”
After graduating from the School of Associate Arts in St. Paul, Rolfs started at General Mills in 1992 as a graphic designer and comic artist. Specifically, he drew the comics that were included in Cap’n Crunch cereal boxes. Rolfs worked there for five years before leaving to do freelance sketching and drawing. He eventually stopped drawing for other people for many reasons, the biggest being his lack of motivation.
“I don’t know if I’m manic when I draw,” Rolfs said. “Sometimes I just crank, and other times I’m just too dang tired.”
Currently, Rolfs works the B-shift (3 p.m. to 11 p.m.) at Mounds View High School (MVHS) as a custodian. After cleaning high school bathrooms for eight hours, Rolfs struggles with having enough energy and finding the time to draw. But since his start in November 2021, Rolfs’ impact on the MVHS community is not one to be overlooked.
“He makes Mounds View a better place to be each and every day.” — Rebecca Allard, business teacher
Rolfs met special education teacher Avery Colwell after school two years ago, when he was emptying Colwell’s garbage bin. Rolfs noticed Colwell’s class pet leopard gecko, at the time named Trippy T-Dog, and started a conversation about him. Colwell quickly realized that she had much in common with Rolfs, both enjoying live music. Later, Rolfs gave Colwell a drawing of a garden gnome riding Trippy T-Dog. It is hanging outside of room 132, Colwell’s classroom.
“This guy seems pretty cool and weird, just like me,” Colwell said.
Rolfs also shares his artistic experience with the business department, making designs for the school store. He mentors and provides insight to students who are interested in pursuing illustration as a career.
“He is a delightful human being,” business teacher and school store director Rebecca Allard said. “He makes Mounds View a better place to be each and every day.”
This is the latest of the many odd jobs Rolfs has had since the housing crisis and economic crash of 2008. He has been a delivery driver, caretaker and a cook at a treatment center.
“I’ve done things that nurses do. I’ve kept people alive and safe,” Rolfs said. “No matter what job I have, I have a happy place to go because I’m an artist and I’ve always been creative.”
