Artist of the Week: Derek Schuetz

Derek Schuetz is an oil on canvas painter who focuses onpets, people and landscapes.

Seattle Refined: How long have you been creating? What mediums do you work with?
I started drawing as a child and was formally introduced to painting at the University of Washington. I have been painting in oil on canvas (and sometimes board) for 20 years.

Can you tell us about your artistic process and how the different stages work into it?
My process is dependent on whether I am capturing a moment in time that is significant for a particular person, or capturing a moment in creation that is significant to me.

The majority of works where I capture a moment in time for a person are portraits: a snapshot of a cherished memory — a look or expression from the subject that encapsulates their essence. I talk with the person to understand what they were experiencing in that moment and what feeling emanates from the subject.

If the subject is available, I’ll arrange a photoshoot to capture different images. More often, these paintings are portraits in memoriam. In these cases, I work with the client to get the best and most important references and use those as the subject of my painting. I’ll go through multiple photographs to understand the range of moods and motions the subject had, identifying hallmark angles, positions and expressions. Sometimes, the photo reference is poor quality, has very distracting background, or taken from very awkward and foreshortening angles, so the next step in my process is to create a digital rendering of the image, color correcting and altering the background and foreground as needed to give the client a visual of what I think will yield the best composition. I’ve found this helps the person zoom in on the details that mean the most to them about the memory.

When choosing a subject for landscape paintings, aside from the theme I have already chosen for the series, I like to look for unique and magnificent settings that include vibrant color. I sometimes source my pictures from friends and fellow photographers with their permission.

Tell us about where your inspiration for your art comes from.
My inspiration and desire to create art comes from within. I feel I was born to create. When I am not painting, I really enjoy woodworking as another outlet for my creativity. I am drawn to the amazing beauty of this planet and the colors that our creator has incorporated into our lives.

Do you have a specific “beat” you like best – nature, food, profiles, etc.?
My favorite subjects are nature and pets. Both give me joy in different ways. Nature is awe-inspiring and hard to fathom, and pets have unique personalities that are fun to bring out in a portrait.

Do you have one piece of art that means more to you or is extremely special to you?
I do. My favorite and most special to me is a painting I did for my wife of her beloved dog, Rocco. The photo I used as reference was taken the day before he passed, and it just encompassed his personality better than I could ever explain. A close second would be a portrait of my wife done in a film noir style. So if I could only save one, I’d take both of these as they are right next to each other in the same room.

What experiences in your life have affected your art the most?
Hmmm. I’d say I had some good teachers who knocked me down a peg when I needed it and pushed me to be better. Also, the moment my wife pushed me to focus exclusively on painting was a huge part of my artistic story.

If we want to see more of your work, where should we go to find it?
I can be found on my website,www.derekschuetz.com.Prints and some originals can be ordered directly from my website. I can be reached at my email derek.schuetz@gmail.com for any art-related questions or inquiries, as well if someone prefers to speak directly to me about my art.

What is next for you? Anything you’re working on right now that you’re really excited about?
I am really excited for the future. I am working on a new series of landscapes that I won’t mention just yet. I continue to try to grow my clientele for commission pieces and I have started teaching oil painting in a personal and private setting, where I can customize the lessons based on what the student wants to achieve and what their current level of knowledge and techniques are at.

Lastly, how do you take your coffee? (We ask everyone!)
I take my coffee with lots of cream and lots of sugar. Sometimes I just go straight to coca-cola.

About ‘Artist of the Week’: This city is packed with artists we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you would like to see featured, let us know at hello@seattlerefined.com. And if you’re wondering just what constitutes art, that’s the beauty of it; it’s up to you! See all of our past Artists of the Week in our dedicated section.