Colorado – ARTFOODHOME.COM

“Looking Below” by Dan Schultz – Image: Gallery 1261

The light in this painting is absolutely incredible. The way the sun touches the snow… lovely. The sunlight on the top of this woman’s hair and on her hood STOPPED ME IN MY TRACKS. The wonderful light coupled with the shadows on the snow makes for one beautiful painting! The artist is Dan Schultz. “Looking Below” is part of the Oil Painters of America Western Regional Exhibition at Gallery 1261 in Denver, CO (say that three times fast!). That is going to be one fabulous show… if you’re in the Denver, CO area I would be hightailing it over there if I were you! If, like me, you are no where near Colorado, check out Dan’s website (as well as the gallery)… you won’t be disappointed!

Read more about Dan, here’s a blip from his website (which is wonderful by the way, this is just a small amount of information meant to tease you into checking it out for yourself). Lots of info, workshops, publications and on and on!

Biography

Dan Schultz (b. 1975) has been selling his artwork through commercial galleries across the United States for more than ten years, but made the enterprising decision in 2011 to move his family from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and to open his own gallery in Ojai, California. He was eager for the ability to present his work in a more unified way and to personally interact with his clients. The change also gave him the chance to paint the beautiful California landscape and to enjoy the close-knit community of Ojai with his wife and young son.

Schultz’s work is built on the tradition of classical representational art. In order to enhance the connection that occurs between artist, subject and viewer, he often chooses a color scheme that is simple and harmonious—always catching a strong sense of light. His ultimate goal is for his work to convey his belief that God uses the beauty of his creation to communicate with us.

Schultz’s fine art career has been a somewhat unusual journey. Growing up in a small town in eastern New Mexico during the 1970s and ’80s provided little exposure to the world of art, galleries or museums. He had no family members who worked in the arts although his father’s aptitude as an accomplished guitarist and amateur woodcarver was certainly an influence. High school, after a family move to Colorado in 1988, brought the first real art instruction to Schultz and the opportunity to compete in a state-wide art competition. One of his drawings received the first place award his senior year and went on to bring him the same award at the national level. As a result, he decided to study commercial art at Pensacola Christian College in Florida which gave him a strong foundation in the fundamentals of representational art through the program’s focus on illustration and graphic design. After graduating with honors, Schultz took a graphic design job back in Colorado and painted portrait commissions in his spare time.

Two years later, Schultz discovered Cottonwood Artists’ School in Colorado Springs and was soon invited to join the teaching faculty as their youngest instructor. The other instructors at Cottonwood were the first to inspire Schultz to pursue fine art and encouraged him to exhibit his work in shows and galleries while continuing his graphic design. Schultz married in 2004 and the next year was able to begin pursuing fine art full time.

Schultz has received recognition for his exceptional paintings of figures in the landscape, plein air landscape and portraiture. Southwest Art magazine featured Schultz’s work in its September, 2004, “21 Under 31” article. He received the First Place award in the 10th Annual American Impressionist Society National Show and has received top awards from the Art Renewal Center, the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, the Portrait Society of America and Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. He is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society and an artist member of the California Art Club.

With the help and support of his wife Sarah and son Ian, Schultz’s journey continues as he searches for the special connection that art can provide between the Creator of the universe, the beauty of our world and the living soul.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

“Manitou Meadow” by Michael Baum

Image: MichaelBaum.com

Michael Baum is an extremely talented artist located in the Manitou Springs area of Colorado. I was happy to find Michael on Facebook. Another artist had commented on one of his paintings, which is how I saw his work. Ahhh, the magic of Facebook, eh? I later saw photos that Michael posted of the fires in Colorado. It broke my heart… so much devastation. Evacuating, coming home, evacuating… some not coming home to anything at all… Can. You. Imagine? Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone dealing with this and to those who are fighting it… As I write this (Friday, June 29) I see that there was a break in the heat (down to the 90 degree temps and the wind was down to 10mph, which allowed firefighters to begin to get an edge up on this massive fire. I pray that continues. HERE is the link to Michael’s photos and first hand account of what’s happening in his area. So far, his house is OK…

Here’s a blip about Michael from his website – you can tell he’s a nice guy by his bio alone!

“Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1950, my first home was a trailer traveling from Oklahoma to Ohio, where my family settled. I was always drawing or painting (dinosaurs mainly). Most years, we would take driving vacations to Florida or Michigan, or go camping at the local parks. These experiences are among my fondest memories and set the course my life would take.

In the late 1960s and early ’70s, I attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, studying psychology, anthropology, and art. In 1973 I earned a BFA in fine art.

I came to the West over 30 years ago, drawn by its spectacular landscapes. I pursued thelandscape in art through a variety of styles and media, now working exclusively in oil.

I love getting out on the road and exploring the country, being overwhelmed by its grandeur and amazed by its subtlety. I love painting the landscape, whether I do it right there on the spot or
later back in the studio. It is a wonderful challenge to try to recreate the essence of a place with paint and canvas.”

Michael Baum specializes in contemporary representational paintings of the western and southwestern landscape.
He is represented in many private, corporate, and public collections nationally and internationally.

Michael lives and works in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Catch you back here tomorrow!