Biography

Dan Schultz was born in New Mexico in 1975 and soon began to take an interest in art. He enjoyed art classes through his primary and high school years, and studied commercial art at Pensacola Christian College in Florida. He received his degree with a focus on illustration and graphic design, but he never felt driven to pursue either as a career. After college, he continued to sharpen his drawing and painting skills by attending Cottonwood Artists' School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and it was there that he realized for the first time his desire for a career in fine art.

Fueled by this desire, Schultz worked with determination toward his goal. As a result, he was soon asked to become an instructor at the school. He accepted the invitation and became the youngest instructor to join Cottonwood’s cadre of nationally-recognized professional artists.

From that point on, the Colorado artist has focused on further developing his skills in order to fully explore his place in the vast world of art. He chooses to work in a classical style because he deeply connects with traditional works which aptly express reality. “Art should bring about a respect for life and God’s creation around us,” he says. “I want to do my best to faithfully render what is beautiful to me and hopefully others will find that beauty reflected in my work.”

Schultz mainly focuses on figurative painting in his studio, but also enjoys painting landscapes on location. His hard work seems to be paying off because his art 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 recently received awards from the Art Renewal Center’s 4th Annual International Salon and the Portrait Society of America’s 2007 Members’ Competition. He holds memberships in the Oil Painters of America, the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters, the American Impressionist Society, the Portrait Society of America and has participated in many gallery and museum exhibitions with his plein air and studio paintings.

With the help and support of his wife Sarah, Schultz continues to teach aspiring artists at Cottonwood Artists’ School. He has also benefited greatly from opportunities to paint with other artists such as Scott Burdick, Kim English, Chuck Mardosz, Matt Smith and Skip Whitcomb. The generosity of these artists has further inspired him to share his knowledge as he continues his artistic journey and strives to capture the beauty of our world.