Tad Retz resides in upstate New York and embarked on his artistic career directly upon graduating from high school. In those eight years, his drive and daily focus on his craft has resulted in a precipitous rise in national art circles. In 2021, Tad was listed as one of the top plein air painters to collect by PleinAir Magazine and his work continues to evolve with a sophistication well beyond his years. Retz travels widely and paints alongside artists he admires. Recently he has begun teaching workshops throughout the US. His most recent body of work is a result of his desire to experiment with paint manipulation and to see what different tools can do to the look and shapes of color. He attempts to capture the timeless atmosphere of old American, European and Dutch Masters of impressionism of which he devoutly studies. Reflects Retz: “The feeling of being surprised at the end of each painting session is invigorating. Through using new tools, thicker paint, and fast drying mediums, I am discovering new ways to suggest reality in my paintings. Through the act of scraping paint off, applying unmixed paint with palette knives, calligraphic brush marks, dragging tissues through the thick wet paint, and so on; I am able to achieve the look that I have been striving for – a look that is timeless and poetic and more in line with who I am as an artist.”