Daily Inspiration: Meet Mai Wyn Schantz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mai Wyn Schantz.

Hi Mai Wyn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am probably one of the fortunate ones, as I have been making my living primarily from my painting for over 20 years. I graduated from Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design way back in 1999 and have been showing my work steadily ever since. I had a wonderful eight year stint as a gallery owner, Mai Wyn Fine Art, located in the heart of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe Drive from 2012-2020. In that magical space I had a modest studio in the back half with formal gallery shows up front. Towards the end I represented 15 Colorado-based artists. Unfortunately COVID cut that dream short. I had a little one at home and an elderly parent living with us with a compromised immune system…it just didn’t make sense any more. So I closed my doors and moved my studio home. In the last five years I haven’t pursued formal gallery representation for my work elsewhere and have instead put my energy into direct sales through pop up events, art fairs, a studio crawl (which I founded) and an amazing network of collectors.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Unfortunately living your dream doesn’t always make it an easy road. My partner and I are both in the arts, we have an eight-year old, and we live in an expensive city. Making ends meet is a constant challenge. But after 20 years at this, things somehow come together. As a creative person, I think the greater struggles are time and allowing yourself the freedom to let your art grow. When the pressure for sales become too large of a focus, it cripples you creatively.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Like so many artists I am drawn to nature and paint representational depictions of landscape, animals, aspen trees, sunsets…all the Colorado pretty stuff. But what sets me apart from other landscape artists is my metal substrate and how I utilize it in my work. I paint in oil on stainless steel panels. Intentionally placed areas of exposed metal create a unique juxtaposition to my nature subject matter. In some works the metal is used as a simple framing devise, in other works animals or aspen trees are silhouetted against the metal. It’s my way of creating a landscape that reflects how we experience nature today. They are also very much about finding a balance between nature and the high-tech world we live in. I have been painting on metal in some fashion for all of my professional life, over 20 years, and I continue to find new inspiration in it daily.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Working from a home studio can be pretty isolating. So a few years ago I organized an open studio event. The first year it was just me. I just wanted to invite some friends, neighbors and collectors over to see my home studio and share some new work. It was so fun! Then last year I sought out a few other artists to open their doors and we called it the South Denver Artists (SoDA) Open Studio Tour. This year the event has grown to include 15 independent art studios featuring about 20 different artists all on Denver’s south side. It runs annually the last weekend in September, so this year’s event is coming up fast on September 27th & 28th from 10am-4pm. I highly encourage people to go to these types of events: gallery openings, art fairs, and special events like our SoDA Tour. Artists need your support. Showing up and showing interest goes a long way, and if you can, purchase art locally. And honestly, how fun is it to get invited to an artist’s home, take in their creative space and REALLY see where the art comes from?

Pricing:

• South Denver Artists Open Studio Tour is FREE and open to the public
• Price range on prints and small works $150-$300
• Originals on stainless steel $1800-$8000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.maiwyn.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maiwynfineart/

Image Credits
Images of artworks only should be credited to Wes Magyar