There is a lot of superb contemporary realism being made these days; this article by Brandon Rosas shines light on a gifted individual.
A former product researcher for Microsoft and Boeing, Erin Schulz (b. 1966) draws on her analytical background to create sensitive works of fine art. “Empirical research and realist painting have the same processes,” she says. “You create a plan, make observations, and communicate your findings in a report or painting — both of which tell a story, highlight insights, and evoke emotions.”
Born in Yakima, Washington, Schulz fell in love with classical realist painting while in Chongqing, China, where she moved to teach English after graduating from the University of Washington. With abundant free time and access to affordable art materials, she began taking private art lessons as well as participating in group model sessions at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute.
After returning to the U.S., Schulz earned her Master’s degree in engineering and began working as a user experience researcher while studying realist painting under Juliette Aristides at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle. “Juliette provided me with a solid foundation and cemented my love of this approach,” says Schulz, who went full-time as an artist in 2004.
Working from her home studio on Washington’s Vashon Island, Schulz applies her artistic and scientific training to depicting everything from crashing waves and rusting tools to story-driven scenes in which humans and animals work together. “To use tennis as an analogy, my narrative pieces are the big matches, and my smaller pieces are the workouts or drills,” Schulz explains.
One such “big match” is “Mama Bear,” in which a girl walks protectively beside a cheerful mother bear and her relaxed cub through a mist-veiled field. The piece was inspired by Schulz’s own youthful encounter with a female grizzly while jogging in the North Cascade Mountains. The bear’s calm reaction to Schulz — who had climbed a tree in fright — surprised her at the time and would later interact with her own experiences as a mother to inspire this piece. “This painting is about riding that edge as a parent between protection and letting go to make room for challenge, exploration, and fear,” Schulz says.
Like all her contemporary realism narrative work, “Mama Bear” expresses Schulz’s belief that humans and animals “are all in this together.” She says, “I hope to inspire a feeling of partnership among all creatures, nurturing a harmonious relationship and celebrating our shared bonds.”
This article was originally published in Fine Art Connoisseur magazine (subscribe here).
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