Dutch Schulze
Dutch Schulze began his career as a sculptor in 1970, working with clay and carving wood, while living in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1968, and studied Art and Art History for a year at Wagner College in Bregenz, Austria. In 1975, Dutch moved to the Southern Oregon Coast. His style was representational, and his subject was usually the human figure. He began working with different media, and by 1985, was creating glass sculpture using the pate’ de verre technique. Soon he began creating large blown glass vessels and after three years apprenticeship, Dutch built his own glass studio in 1991.
Glass is the sculptural medium that boasts the richest and most brilliant colors. Dutch employs a color application technique that involves the layering of different transparent colors over opaque design patterns. This produces a rich, subtly complex background upon which he picks up hot twisted cane and murrini. The result is the flowing "Dreamscape" effect, which makes his work unique and recognizable.
Dutch also makes non-vessel, sculptural cast glass as well as blown glass pieces. He modes the sculpture in clay, then takes it through the lost wax mold making process, and casts the piece in a large kiln. It remains in the kiln, at a temperature of 900 degrees, for as long as two weeks before it can be safely removed. The mold is then chiseled off, and the surface of the sculpture is polished with diamond abrasives.
