THOMAS STILTZ

Born in Newark, Delaware (1948). Now lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

For most of his professional life, Thomas Stiltz has worked as an art director, photographer, and painter.  His experience with photography brings ...Read more...

sensitivity to light and form.  His strong sense of composition and picture space, combined with a flair for the dramatic, naturally led him to create striking paintings.  His purpose is to stimulate the viewer with feelings and emotion about the common, ordinary objects of our lives.

Thomas Stiltz received his Bachelor of Arts in painting and Master of Arts in photography and design from the University of Delaware.  One painter to influence Stiltz is Cézanne, whose still-lifes show devotion to the solidity of objects and form revealed through color.  Stiltz’s paintings also reflect the inspiration gained from his studies of the works of Jan Vermeer.  It is apparent from Stiltz’s work that he is impressed with Vermeer’s depiction of the interaction of light and objects, his emphasis on detail, and the effect of diffused light on backgrounds and shadows.

The paintings of Thomas Stiltz are created with a devotion to old world techniques, often using many layers to build up the paint surface.  Backgrounds are glazed with many layers of color for depth and richness, and objects are rendered with a strong emphasis on naturalism.

As a graduate student traveling through Paris in 1972, Thomas Stiltz developed his taste for fine wine.  Experiencing French cuisine enhanced by just the right wine led to a life-long interest in the world’s best wines.  Stiltz’s unique contribution to art is his ability to transfer the entire experience of a wine from one palette to another.

Thomas Stiltz has toured many vineyards, met the owners and winemakers and discovered the many parallels between wine making and painting.  As in painting, the layering of flavors in the winemaking process produces complexity and sensual lushness.  Neither process can be rushed and each wine or work of art is as different as the personality who creates it.

With "The Wine Collection," Thomas Stiltz’s artistic talent and interest in fine wines coalesce.  This series of paintings and prints does more than merely render these popular subjects, it transforms them through the artist’s eye into true works of art.

Limited Edition Artwork
Original Artwork