RON SCHATZ OF ELGIN-BASED IMAGE GRILLE WINS AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FROM AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ARCHiTECTURAL ILLUSTRATORS
(Elgin, IL) -- Ron Schatz, ASAI, principle of Image Grille 3D Architectural Illustration in Elgin, Illinois has won his fourth Award of Excellence from the American Society of Architectural Illustrators (ASAI). It is the illustrator’
His illustration of “The Chicago,” a design by Charles G. Woods, AIA of Honesdale, Pennsylvania is a “fantasy” design of a towering 220-story skyscraper conceptualized for the Chicago skyline.
Schatz’s previous three winning entries were also Woods’ designs: the “Weekender House” in 2008; the “Ruffalo Home” in 2006; and the “New York” in 2003 -- sent to Donald Trump in 1997, who acknowledged receiving it and commented to Woods that he “might consider it” for future development.
“I've worked with Ron for more than 10 years,” said Woods, “and we’ve done literally hundreds of renderings and illustrations - many speculative for my books, and dozens for clients.
“To call Ron simply a 'renderer' or 'illustrator' or 'perspectivist' seems too….limited,”
Schatz says his primary architectural influence has been Frank Lloyd Wright, “for as long as I can remember. I was fascinated by buildings from a very early age; I still use that love of the building as a guiding force in my work.”
He worked for several years with the late architect Don Erickson, FALA, ALA, after Woods, Erickson’s student years earlier, introduced the two.
“That was when my office was in my dining room,” recalled Schatz. “Charles {Woods} invited Don over to see my work…. Don figured as long as he was going to see what I do, he might as well take advantage of it!” Erickson brought over a design for, of all things, a bus stop for the city of Madison, Wisconsin.
He left Schatz’s home several hours later with three complete illustrations for presentation to the city a few days later. The city council approved the design, the bus stop was erected a few months later, and Erickson and Schatz became fast friends, working together on several projects until Erickson’s death in 2007.
Erickson studied directly under Frank Lloyd Wright in the ‘50s at the architect's renowned Taliesin studio in Spring Valley, Wisconsin. After his first year of study, Erickson approached Wright to explain that he was leaving architecture to pursue a career as a concert pianist. The venerable master architect convinced Erickson, however, to stick with architecture, telling his young student, “The world has plenty of musicians, Don -- we need more architects.”
Just as Erickson was not only influenced, but encouraged by Wright, Schatz was supported and inspired by Erickson. So, just as Wright had persuaded him a half century earlier to follow architecture instead of music, Erickson convinced Schatz to pursue his illustration work full-time and “full-speed ahead.”
“Don was always a great proponent of my work,” says Schatz. “He promoted me to his peers in ALA {Association of Licensed Architects} from that first day we worked together and encouraged me more than anyone else. He pushed me to be my best.”
Other Wright students and Wright-influenced architects for whom Schatz has done illustration work include Dennis Blair, a student of Wright's before Erickson who now resides in Barrington, IL; and Pennsylvania-
Several years ago, Schatz recalls, he looked around the table at the people he was dining with and realized the gathering included three immediate students of Wright, and two others who were "once-removed"
“It was a ‘moment’, one of those experiences you know you’ll never forget,” he said. “I was in the company of people who had been students, acquaintances, even friends, of one of the greatest architects who ever designed buildings.”
Woods, too has promoted Schatz’s work. After sending samples to renowned German illustrator Helmut Jacoby nearly a decade ago, he “commented on our mutual work as being of 'high quality'. That’s quite a compliment from one of the greatest architectural illustrators of the twentieth century,” he said.
Other noted illustrators have also endorsed Schatz’s work, including Malcolm Wells; Randy Padorr-Black;
“I’ve never created a building that Ron could not illustrate,”
Schatz was an early adopter of Lightwave, a graphics program that has allowed him to protract structural concepts to produce what has become his distinctive style.
The ASAI award presentations will be made in October, in Miami. Schatz plans to attend the ceremony, held in conjunction with a three-day ASAI conference, to accept the award.
Schatz’s website at www.imagegrille.com features an interactive gallery of illustrations from the past 12 years. Image Grille’s offices are in the circa-1927 Professional Building in downtown Elgin, at 164 Division St.; he can be contacted at rps@imagegrille.com or by phone at 847-754-7000.
