Here at Crest HQ we’ve fallen in love with the art of Samantha Schulz, so we got in contact with her to find out more about her influences and what drives her…

“I had wanted to be an artist since early childhood, apart from a brief period when I believed I wanted to be a princess and a professional tennis player, simultaneously. Once I realised that I could neither play tennis nor knew any available princes, I returned to my original goal of being an artist. So, I went to art school where I had a traditional training, then specialised in fine art printmaking. When I graduated I was nominated for The Graduate Artist of the Year Award, I didn’t win but I was very happy to be recognised. After graduation I took a less traditional route and set off on a journey that would have me live in eight different countries, in cities as diverse as Paris, Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur. These places have had a substantial influence on my life and my work. From the culture and colour to the materials that were available to me.

My work is process driven, and I love the process of painting, incorporating new mediums and technologies into the pieces motivates and excites me. I aim to create pieces with a visually rich surface, where the viewer can lose themselves in the multiple layers. The commonality in all of my work, on canvas, plexiglass or paper, is layering, layers of colour, gestural marks and texture. The starting point of each piece is the written word, inspiration taken from literature, song lyrics or personal interactions – I have just completed a series of paintings inspired by handwritten messages from a collection of Post It notes. My goal has always been to evoke a happy memory and/or to create a positive experience for the viewer.

Currently, I divide my time between Vienna Austria and the UK. I am happy to say that my paintings are now included in private and corporate collections around the world.”

Thanks for the great insight Samantha, and for taking the time to share this with us.

Want to know more? Take a look at Samantha’s website.