Dan Schultz grew up in the southwestern United States, spending much of his time outdoors in the warm sunshine of New Mexico.  He took a few art classes during high school, and during his senior year he entered a drawing in his school’s state-wide art competition where he was awarded first place.  The drawing was then eligible to compete on a national level—again winning first place.  As a result, Schultz decided that art would be the focus of his studies as he furthered his education.

Four years later, Schultz received his commercial art degree from Pensacola Christian College in Florida.  His college studies had emphasized illustration and graphic design, but he did not feel particularly driven to pursue either as a career.  However, he had learned about master artists such as John Singer Sargent, Joaquin Sorolla, Anders Zorn and others whose work had begun to influence him.  Back in the southwest, Schultz continued to sharpen his drawing and painting skills at Cottonwood Artists’ School in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  It was here that he realized for the first time that a career in fine art could be possible.  His skill was soon recognized by the school and he was asked to become an instructor at Cottonwood, making him the youngest to join the group of nationally-recognized professional artists teaching there.

From that point on, the Colorado artist has focused on exploring his place in the vast world of art.  In order to capture the connections that occur between artist, subject and viewer, he often chooses a color scheme that is simple and harmonious, making his paintings sometimes appear to have one overall dominant color.  This allows him to express his connection with each work of art he creates, and allows the viewer to experience a direct connection back to the him as the artist.

Schultz’s work has gained national recognition in a variety of subjects and media. Southwest Art magazine featured his work in its September, 2004, “21 Under 31” article.  He has recently received awards from the American Impressionist Society, the Art Renewal Center and the Portrait Society of America.  He is a signature member of the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters
and holds a membership in the Oil Painters of America.  He participates in many gallery and museum exhibitions each year with his plein air and studio paintings.  With the help and support of his wife Sarah, Schultz continues to pursue excellence as he creates each new piece of art.  His classes and workshops enable him to share his knowledge with other artists as they explore their artistic journeys.  And above all, 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.