From strings to brushstrokes: Tecumseh musician unveils first art collection

Tecumseh Musician Andy Schiller with some of his art at the Tecumseh District Library.

By Kelly Overholt

Thought-provoking abstracts, outside-the-box methods, and a childhood dream come alive in a dozen acrylics by Tecumseh artist Andy Schiller, now on display at the Tecumseh District Library. The acrylic on canvas artworks combine bold colors, free-form shapes, and organic textures to invite viewers to reflect and use their imagination for interpretation.

“A lot of these paintings are meant to be displayed in any direction,” Schiller said. “There is no up or down. I hang these in my studio or at my house, and every once in a while I’ll turn one the other way or upside down for a different perspective. You might see something inside that no one else can.”

All of Schiller’s works are purposely done on gallery-wrapped canvas to support this rotating display style.

Nine of the artworks were created using pour-paint techniques on large canvases, with movements like swiping, dipping, tilting, and forced air using a blow dryer. Everyday household materials such as WD-40, silicone oil, bubble wrap, balloons, plastic bags, expired lumpy paint, and paper towels were used to add depth and texture. “Waterfall,” a blue-teal work, was created simply by tilting the canvas at a 45-degree angle, letting the paint cascade over the edges much like the motion of a real-life waterfall.

“What attracted me to get into painting was I saw someone in a video pour paint on a canvas and they tilted it back and forth and they had a painting done in 30 seconds,” Schiller said. “There wasn’t any fiddling around, touch-ups, or redos. You just get instant success. You finish it and you walk away and say, ‘let’s do another one.’”

Three other paintings in the collection lean in a representational direction, including a cello-shaped image made with crackle paint and another resembling a soundwave. One work, “Muse”, an over-the-shoulder portrait of a woman, is marked “Not For Sale” as it holds significant sentimental value for Schiller.

“That one is my wife,” Schiller said. “It was a Valentine’s Day gift for my wife, so it holds a lot of emotional specialness for me. It’s also my first painting using brushes. I didn’t use a stencil or draw it on there first. I had a photograph on my phone that I would look at, but it was entirely freehand.”

Currently, Schiller is working on a coffee-themed series of paintings for potential exhibition next year and accepts commissions starting at $50 per square foot. All of the artworks in his current collection, on display through the end of September at the library at 215 N. Ottawa St., are for sale — except for “Muse”.

“This is my entire collection so far. These are all the paintings I’ve ever made except for a few that I’ve given to special people in my life,” Schiller said. “I’ve never had a lesson in visual arts or painting, but I’ve kind of had the eye of an artist since I was a kid. I didn’t start painting until last year when I turned 49.”

Originally from Montague, Mich., the Siena Heights University alum was influenced at a young age by Commander Mark and the Secret City, a children’s drawing show that aired on PBS during the 1980s. But after attending a West Shore Symphony concert at the age of 7, he decided to pursue a music career, temporarily setting art on the back burner.

“I was really enamoured with everything and on the edge of my seat. I went home and said, ‘I want to do that,’” Schiller recalled. “My mother bought a violin at an auction for five bucks, and the rest is history.”

That history includes performances at Carnegie Hall, with the Rome Festival Orchestra and Adrian Symphony Orchestra. In 1995, Schiller spent a summer in Paris, France, studying art history at the Louvre as part of his Siena Heights studies. After graduating, Schiller taught music classes at Siena Heights, Adrian College, and the Jackson Symphony Orchestra.

Today, Schiller runs BeyondGuitar.com, a video learning website with over 400 lessons, and owns the Tecumseh String Studio at 106 S. Maumee St., where he teaches guitar, bass, violin, piano, ukulele, and mandolin. His students will perform at the Appleumpkin Festival on Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. on the Shuttle Stage across from Martin’s Home Center on West Chicago Boulevard.

“I have eight-year-olds playing Bach on piano and ten-year-olds playing classical and Spanish guitar. We’ve got some beginners, so there’ll be some Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in there. I’ll probably play one solo song,” Schiller said. “We’ve got all sorts of talented kids that are ready to show off.”

The Tecumseh District Library is open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. To learn more about Schiller’s art or to purchase his work, visit owatine.art.