IN MEMORIAM

WILLIAM J. SCHULTZ

1919 - 2005

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Bill Schultz on February 4th, 2005. Master impressionist artist and teacher William J. Schutz died in Vero Beach, FL a few days before his 86th birthday. His distinguished art career spanned more then 70 years and he maintained a rigorous schedule of teaching until 2004 when his health made it necessary for him to retire.

Bill started his studies at the age of 13 with Martin C. Hoy, a fine artist who studied with Robert Henri and William Merrit Chase, two of the best known artist/teachers of the 20th century.

After his service as a volunteer in the US Army during WWII, Bill continued his art studies and graduated with honors from the Vesper George School of Art in Boston. In order to "put bread on the table", as he described it, he went into commercial art for several years. However, his urge to create fine art over came him and he traveled to Florida to study with Jerry Farnsworth. While there a fellow student brought in a book by Robert Brackman, Bill was so impressed by what he saw and read in the book that he registered for Brackman's classes the following summer. Bill studied with him for 37 years and ultimately became Brackman's protégé. Bill then founded the William Schultz Art School in Lenox, Mass. and taught there for 25 years.

After being invited to teach workshops at the Art Students Guild in Melbourne, Fl. Bill and his wife, Nadya, moved to Vero Beach where he maintained his studio, teaching classes January through April and conducting summer workshops nationwide.

In February 1998, Bill and three other Florida artists, Charlotte Dickinson, Marjorie Bradley and Pauline Ney, founded The American Impressionist Society, Inc.. Bill was proud to be a founder and supported AIS whole heartedly. It has grown from the original four, to several hundred artists throughout the United States. Bill was a mentor and inspiration to the other co-founders.

Through the years, he has won numerous awards and prizes for his outstanding oil, pastel, watercolors and drawings, and was elected Master Pastelist in the Pastel Society.

Bill's wisdom and his gentle, caring way of encouraging students have endeared him to hundreds ---many of whom are now professional artists and teachers in their own right.

He changed our lives forever by teaching us to "see the light." His spirit will forever be with us and his teaching will be propagated through out the world. He is greatly missed by all who knew him.