One of the talented artists featured at the Ocean of Arts exhibit recently, Craig Waltz has a captivating touch with watercolors that draws a mystic playfulness into the bright and familiar local scenes. Surfer, Jiu Jitsu practitioner, champion paddler, and artist all in one; Waltz’s impressive watercolor paintings stand out from afar, even in a large art filled gallery.  Realistic lines, and the easy-looking yet clearly-complex way Waltz makes his colors pop, makes stupendous art out of simple scenes.

EC - How did you get into painting and what makes you preferable to using watercolors?

CW - My mom paints watercolors and is very good at it. She has always encouraged me to paint and over the years, I have slowly put in a little time producing a few pieces. Although sometimes reluctant to start, I am usually fulfilled once each piece is completed. I started painting in a water color art class in high school. A lot of the people took the class as a means to socialize. I actually took the class pretty seriously and tried to develop some skills which have slowly evolved ever since.

EC - Are there other artistic styles or projects you dabble in?

CW - All of my water color paintings up until recently were an attempt at photorealism. Recently, I have been messing around with some ink on water color, oils, and acrylics and trying to get looser. Maybe you could call it an attempt at Expressionism. Either way, its lifelong journey, and I'm not exactly sure where my preferred style of paining will end up; but for now I think I'm primarily a Photorealism painter and when I feel like getting loose, I'm something else. The Landscape Architecture Firm I currently work for utilizes art and design for digital 3D visualization of designed spaces. So I'm messing around with digital art and modeling as well which is super interesting. It's another attempt at photorealism with the intent to construct the design in real life once approved.

EC - What is life in Santa Cruz like for you as an artist and otherwise?

CW - I was really stoked on Barney's Oceans of Art Show at the R. Blitzer Gallery. It was such a festive event with so much art of all mediums and all by people of the same oceanic community. I really am looking forward to next year and am inspired to work a little harder to produce for the 2012 show.

EC - Have you featured your art at galleries other than the R. Blitzer (…Where/When- if not, would you like to)?

CW - A few coffee shops here and there just for fun. I usually put one or two pieces in the county fair as well. I think Beach House got a ribbon at last year's fair. A friend of mine started a clothing line based in Southern California that features artists and their work on the clothes. You can see last season’s clothing line with my art at www.artlife2010.com. His first line of clothing featured me and some of my paintings. It’s a rad concept, and he has some really cool ideas for future lines. Check it out at www.artlifeisgood.com. I guess Daniel Tosh [the comedian] just bought the shirt with Santa Cruz East to West painting on it. Does that make me famous?

EC -  Do you have a key motivation for painting?

CW - I either see something that interests me, or someone I know will have some photo they like and give it to me and say "Dude, will you paint this for me"?

EC - What are some of your art/life goals?

CW - Some of my art/life goals is for the ArtLife clothing company to ramp up so I can get in on another line of clothes with new art focused on a theme that will be good for my bro's company, me, and anyone interested in clothing that features artist and their work.

EC - Where and when can we find more of you and your work (Any website or featured work online)?

CW - Email me at waltz.craig@gmail.com, check out www.artlifeisgood.com, see some of my digital art at www.skateparks.com, or come back next year to the R. Blitzer Gallery for the second annual Oceans of Art Show!