We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful René Romero Schuler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with René Romero below.

Hi René Romero, thanks for joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

From the moment I decided to be a working artist, I made it my mission to always be working. I started by calling businesses from the yellow pages and asking if they would like any art for their offices or lobbies. Things had a slow start, but that quickly blossomed into a career that more than paid the bills. There were a few slower periods which brought on some worry, but I am just so tenacious that I continued to pursue opportunities that fulfilled my creative spirit, and brought in some income.

René Romero, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been working as a professional artist since 1987. My career has taken on different forms along the way, working in everything from scenic design, faux finishes, murals, sculptures, and later, focused completely on my fine art. I paint in a impasto (palette knife) technique, which definitely sets me apart from a lot of other figurative artists. The sole focus in each piece is the figure. I don’t add a lot of superfluous marks or shapes, because I want the figure to be primary- and what viewers connect with. I’m very proud of my strong connection to each piece I create, and I feel that that comes through to all who experience it. My work primarily focuses on the female, as my perceptions of all I experience is as a female- and every piece is rooted in my own stories. The reality, that eventually comes through in every figure, is that my stories very much relate to the stories each and every one of us have. We are all shaped by the scars, the joys, the turmoils, and feelings we carry. My work speaks to that, and comes with the message that I understand you; and you are beautiful- not despite these imperfect experiences of being, but because of them. My work holds that power for myself. I create beings that remind me that I am ok just as I am. They give the the strength and confidence that I often lack.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I feel that the most rewarding aspect of what I do, is the experience of true connection with those who encounter and appreciate my work. Many people get quite emotional upon seeing my figures, ostensibly because they have a visceral feeling of seeing a bit of themselves in my figures. I think this is the most humbling, yet powerful experience an artist can possibly have. It means absolutely everything to me, that my work can have such a profound impact.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

The truth of the matter is that I am quite curious, but the learning curve is working against me right now. On one hand, I would say that I lack the bandwidth to try and learn something so completely foreign to me (I am very much a studio artist, locked into the TACTILE experience of art). I’ve given a little bit of time into looking into ways of bringing my work into that realm, but I couldn’t even get my digital wallet created- which is absolutely the first step- so I kind of checked out. I think there is value to creating NFT’s, particularly as a sort of “Certificate of Authenticity for a work, as well as a permanent record for future generations of provenance. Beyond that, for someone like me, it may never be more than just that. I am so far from being a digital creator!

Contact Info:

• Website: Reneromeroschuler.com
• Instagram: Reneromeroschuler
• Facebook: Reneromeroschuler
• Youtube: Rene Romero schuler

Image Credits
Photos are all by Rick Pharaoh Photography