Matthew M. Schulz

Matthew M. Schulz, inspired by Cape Cod's natural beauty and wildlife, paints radiant landscapes that capture the unique light of this coastal island.

Cape Cod has long been a destination for plein air artists. Its famed Golden Hour light casts a warm glow over the landscape during sunrise and sunset; an luminous display which painters have long tried to capture on canvas.

Oil painter Matthew M. Schulz was born and raised on Cape Cod, drawing deep inspiration from the natural beauty of his surroundings which are shaped by the sea and sky. Through the years, he has developed a profound connection to its landscapes, often depicting the wildlife, coastline, salt marshes, and sailboats, while capturing the vibrant essence of the Cape.

“When I was young, I spent a lot of time outdoors with my grandfather in Barnstable’s salt marshes watching the ducks and wildlife,” Schulz says. “So, when I started painting, I began with duck stamps. It was a narrow concept, but it reminded me of my time with my grandfather. After awhile, I decided to paint the habitat they lived in, which led me to paint the marshes, landscapes, and other wildlife — the world of animals in its entirety.”

Schulz’s Cape Cod paintings celebrate the beauty and serenity of the island’s light. His masterful use of golden-yellow tones and minimal layering, produces a remarkable luminosity in his paintings. And his interplay of light and shadow — an equally important component of his art — adds depth and movement to his work.

Plein air painting

A dedicated plein air painter, Schulz says “working in nature breathes life into a painting. A person’s eyes react to light better than a camera, which can misinterpret the effect of light on a scene. There are all sorts of subtle changes in the planes of the landscape that a camera can’t pick up. Every artist is better off when they paint from life.”

His compositions come naturally to him. “When I’m looking at a subject, a landscape for example, I’ll see a certain rhythm, a movement. Then I can see in my mind’s eye what the final piece is going to look like and all I have to do is paint it,” he says.

Nautical artwork

In his nautical paintings, Schulz strives to include interesting elements. “I'll put more work into the sailors and the vessels to give the viewer something to focus on. When I paint water, I work methodically in lightening or brightening aspects of the water. The foreground is going to be rich and more vibrant with hues darkening and graying towards the horizon.”

Schulz’s painting process

He begins his paintings with an underpainting or ground tone, “usually a yellow ochre pale right out of the tube,” which becomes the foundation for additional layers of color and detail. “I build up warmer tones on top, but there will be tiny flecks of the ground that don’t get covered up and add dimension and interest to a work. When I paint the sun or very light tones, I cut back into the ground and paint white directly onto the canvas to preserve its brightness and intensity.”

“Also, to maintain luminosity in a piece, I limit the number of layers of paint since every layer deadens luminosity and leads to a duller and less vibrant appearance.”

Schulz’s work has been featured in Artist’s Magazine, Cape Cod Life, and American Art Collector. His paintings have won numerous awards, he has exhibited in international juried art shows, and his work is part of the permanent collection at the Cape Cod Museum of Art.

See more of his work at @theschulzgallery898 and on his website, www.theschulzgallery.com.

All images © Matthew M. Schulz, shared with permission.