Roy A. Prinz - Contemporary Impressionist Oil Paintings

I was born in the mid-Twentieth Century into a family of hoteliers in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. These were interesting times that I would come to appreciate much later. Like most children, I accepted my early life as normal, and along with my seven siblings, it mostly was. Dad had previously been an aeronautical engineer and Mom had been a commercial artist in New York City, as well as a member of the New York Art Student’s League.

In those years, the Berkshires were a haven for the arts, which continues to this day. The Boston Symphony Orchestra has long resided at their summer home at Tanglewood. The area hosts multiple theatrical productions, including the Berkshire and Williamstown Theater Festivals, and international dance is featured at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Artists such as Daniel Chester French, Sir Henry Hudson Kitson, and Norman Rockwell lived in the Berkshires, and their works remain popular. Literary greats Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Edith Wharton called the Berkshires home, as do many contemporary writers. Jazz had a home at Music Inn in the 50s and 60s, later evolving into popular music concerts in the 70s. The attraction to this creative environment continues to this day and is strongly represented by artists of all genres. Music was featured at the family resort which included dance bands, folk and blues performers, jazz trios, and a New Orleans Jazz band revival that was popular.

That was the start of my interest in art and music, which continues to be a lifelong passion. My musical interests started with the piano but quickly evolved to the guitar. Today, my playing style reflects those influences of American popular music, classical, and jazz art forms. 

My college education included studies in philosophy, music and business administration.  After earning a degree Hotel/Buisness Administration I spent about twenty years in hotel management with properties on the New England coast, Hawaii, the Colorado Rockies, and California. A career change into real estate in Santa Barbara has covered almost three decades. Recently retired from buisness I’m able to devote more energy to art and music.

I would describe the work you see on these gallery pages as contemporary impressionism. From a distance, the pieces have a realistic quality to them, but upon closer inspection, the impasto brush strokes reveal a more relaxed application. The visual aspect is enhanced by the application of the paint, often wet into wet, creating an illusion of depth and texture. Experimenting with variations on this approach and the consequent effects, I’ve found that the results can be dramatic. Many of these landscape paintings have been juried into regional and national art shows. I hope that you enjoy the art. Your questions, thoughts, and comments are welcomed.