Today we’d like to introduce you to Cory Schnitzer.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started painting for fun as a broke college kid at SDSU. I wouldn’t say I was good, but I received praise from peers and ultimately found some sort of solace in it. I liked painting walls, exterior or interior, probably stemming from my fascination with graffiti, but as time went on, I realized if I painted on canvas, my friends could take their paintings with them to the next house they rented and not just paint over whatever wall I had completed. Still in college, working as a busboy at the Croce’s Restaurant and Jazz Club, I let anyone know who showed an ounce of interest in me that I was an artist. Ingrid Croce ended up letting me paint a portrait of Jim Croce that she hung in the dining room for the last few years of that fine, iconic establishment. I was a young fish in a pond of mostly older eccentric musicians, creatives, and other odd ball people that frequented back and forth between Croce’s and Patrick’s around the corner for Red Hot Blues. I loved that place and soaked every ounce of it up, took notes, developed a good work ethic, some bad habits, and a lot of memories. That place drew all walks of life, and I was lucky enough to be there in some of my formative years. You can learn a lot when you’re hanging out with a spread of bums begging for someone to buy them a drink and some of San Diego’s most elite all rubbing elbows together over live music. When I would get off work, I would meet my friends out and about at the nightclubs where people more my age would hang out. It was a total clash of two worlds, but I loved the difference of the two. I eventually carved my niche in the scene when I became a resident artist, painting on the rooftops of most nightclubs for many years. This was cool; it gave me some popularity among locals, and I was lucky enough to do celebrity portraits of the talent the club booked that night. On some occasions, the celebs would autograph the paintings, and we could sell them to the bottle service clients. The club usually got the dough, but I was young and eager, and it was cool to just be in the mix. I would say that helped me blossom and get my name out there. I ended up throwing group art shows and other similar-style events. The nightlife got tiring after years, and I really wanted to keep painting both more privately and also painting bigger, pivoting to murals, and I took on any job I was lucky enough to get. My background in the hospitality industry helped me land gigs painting walls for bars and restaurants in the greater San Diego area. As I’ve kept at it, I have been able to scale it larger and land bigger walls working with commercial properties and popular brands. I am now most excited about big walls and still doing custom paintings for people’s homes or spaces.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This is a funny question; as an artist, I think you are already starting out at a disadvantage choosing to pursue a career that is usually less prosperous…. A starving artist is a term for a reason. I don’t miss a meal these days, but I’ve had my fair share of ramen, and I’m not talking about those fancy, trendy ramen restaurants. So, without sounding too brash, everyone wants a mural or painting until they realize they have to pay for it. For the artist, it takes a lot of time, it’s taxing on the body, and paint ain’t cheap. The final result is always worth the work.
It’s so rewarding when people follow up on a project they inquire about. I used to take it way more personally, but I would say the majority of my potential jobs or inquiries fall through, and the ones you least suspect come to fruition, and those are usually the best projects. If you are a client of mine, have a painting, or have rooted me on over the years, I’d like to say thank you because I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for you…yes, YOU!
The other challenge that comes to mind is that in this digital age of social media, it is so easy to compare your art to others and rate your work’s worth or value to an algorithm. I’m getting better at it now, but I totally have become guilty of “Will people think this is cool when I post it?”. I didn’t start painting to create my work for Instagram…so I do my best to stay present in my practice of ‘what do I want to paint’ or ‘how do I want to do this piece.’ Artwork and paintings were not made to appreciate on a small screen in your hand. So, in a way I’m glad my work doesn’t always translate well on social media, but it’s also a tool and a game that the modern artist must play into too.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
When people ask what I do, I tell them I am a painter, but that can mean many things. I specialize in large-scale canvases and murals. My favorite projects are collaborative, in which the client tells me their vision, and I can kind of run with what they want with direction but still given creative freedom. What sets me apart from others is that I am obsessive with whatever I am working on. Art is usually personal for people, whether it’s something sentimental going in their home or more of a logo branding mural for business. I will go thru all possible options in my head to achieve the end result, instead of going with whatever’s easiest or can get the job done I will do what I think is truly best for the space or final outcome. I am authentic, and I am most proud that after years of doing this, I have not quit or stopped when the going got tough, and I have remained true to myself in the highs and lows.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
We have the best hospitality for food and restaurants. I’m more of a homebody these days, but I have such an appreciation for that industry. I love surfing and skateboarding, and there is no shortage of that. I think La Jolla has the most breathtaking stretch of beach, and pinch myself how lucky I am to spend time on that magical place of the earth. I also like how there are so many different bubbles and hubs in SD. You can be in the mix somewhere and go get into something completely different just fifteen minutes away.
For dislikes, the only thing that comes to mind is there is a lot of party culture in San Diego. I fell into that for a while, but it could have been partially user error.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coryschnitzer.com
- Instagram: @coryschnitzer
Image Credits
Zairre Wright
