A New Chapter: Erin Schuler, The Colorado Nature Artist

Big news from the studio.

I moved to Colorado.

And I got married.

After years of calling the Pacific Northwest home, I’m officially beginning a new chapter in Colorado with my husband, fellow artist and woodworker, Luke Schuler.

You may still know me as Erin Oostra, but I’ll now be creating and sharing my work as Erin Schuler.

The name is new. The landscape is new. And the vision is getting bigger.

I couldn’t be more excited.

From the Pacific Northwest to Colorado

Nature has always been at the heart of my work.

For years, I created paintings inspired by the mountains, forests, oceans, valleys, and wild landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. My work has always been about capturing that feeling you get when you stand somewhere beautiful and suddenly feel completely present.

Moving to Colorado feels like a natural continuation of that story.

There is something about Colorado that makes you want to paint.

The Rocky Mountains. The changing light. Alpine lakes. Wide open skies. Golden aspens. Wildflowers. Rivers and valleys. Snow covered peaks stretching endlessly into the distance.

Colorado is filled with the kind of landscapes that make artists stop what they’re doing and reach for a canvas.

That is exactly what I plan to do.

My work will continue to focus on nature inspired fine art, with a growing emphasis on Colorado nature art and contemporary landscape painting inspired by the Rocky Mountains.

I’m especially excited to explore and paint the landscapes around Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Telluride, Steamboat Springs, Crested Butte, Estes Park, Ouray, Colorado Springs, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

These communities have incredible art scenes and a deep appreciation for the landscapes that surround them. I’m excited to become part of that story and bring my own perspective to Colorado art.

And Then There’s Luke

One of the best parts of this new chapter is that I get to build it with my husband.

Luke Schuler is an artist and woodworker whose work celebrates natural materials, craftsmanship, and thoughtful design.

You can explore his work at Stains & Woodgrains.

We have always admired each other’s work, but now we get to take that one step further.

We’re joining our businesses.

And this is where things get really exciting.

Painting Meets Woodworking

I work with paint.

Luke works with wood.

We both love nature.

We both love making things with our hands.

And we both believe that some of the best art begins with paying attention to the natural world around us.

So what happens when you combine all of that?

We’re not ready to give everything away just yet.

But we are working on some incredible ideas that bring together painting, woodworking, nature, design, and fine art in ways we haven’t seen done before.

Think original Colorado landscape paintings.

Handcrafted wood.

Large scale artwork.

Custom pieces.

Statement art for beautiful homes and spaces.

And eventually, some things that are going to be very hard to put into a category.

That’s the fun part.

We want to create work that feels connected to the places that inspire us.

Art that brings the outdoors inside.

Pieces that feel collected rather than manufactured.

Work that celebrates Colorado’s mountains, forests, rivers, skies, and wild landscapes while combining two very different creative mediums.

Colorado, We’re Coming For You

Colorado already has an incredible community of artists, galleries, designers, makers, and collectors.

Aspen.

Vail.

Breckenridge.

Denver.

Boulder.

Telluride.

Steamboat Springs.

Crested Butte.

Colorado Springs.

We’re excited to become part of it.

There is something especially exciting about Colorado’s mountain art scene. From contemporary galleries in Aspen and Vail to the landscape and nature focused galleries of Breckenridge, there is a strong appreciation for artists who interpret the Colorado landscape in their own way.

Our work is already finding its way into Colorado collections, and we’re looking forward to expanding that presence through original paintings, Colorado nature art, commissions, live painting, custom artwork, and collaborative pieces.

And with Luke’s woodworking added to the mix, we’re just getting started.

We’re dreaming about the homes, mountain properties, galleries, restaurants, hotels, design projects, and creative spaces where this work could eventually live.

From a modern home in Denver to a mountain retreat in Breckenridge, a vacation home in Vail, a lodge in Steamboat Springs, or a luxury property in Aspen, we want to create artwork that feels at home in Colorado.

Two Artists. One Bigger Vision.

There’s something special about building a creative life with someone who understands why you have to stop the car because the light on the mountains is too good to ignore.

Luke and I see the world differently, but we’re inspired by many of the same things.

Nature.

Adventure.

Craftsmanship.

Beauty.

The process of making something by hand.

And now we get to see what happens when those ideas come together.

We’re not interested in simply making more artwork.

We want to build something memorable.

Something distinctly ours.

Something that feels like Colorado.

And something that hopefully makes people feel the same sense of wonder we feel when we’re standing in the middle of it all.

The Next Chapter of Erin Schuler

This move represents much more than a change of address.

It feels like the beginning of a new creative era.

I’m excited to paint the places around me, explore Colorado through my work, meet other artists and creatives, and continue building a body of work inspired by the natural world.

And I’m even more excited to see what Luke and I can create together.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me as Erin Oostra.

Thank you for collecting my work, following along, sharing my paintings, inviting me into your homes and events, and allowing my art to become part of your stories.

Now I get to bring all of that with me into Colorado.

New name.

New home.

New landscapes.

New work.

And a whole lot more to come.

So to the galleries, designers, collectors, homeowners, architects, hotels, and art lovers of Colorado...

Watch out.

We’re just getting started.