Biography
Linda K. Schinkel Biography
Linda K. Schinkel (Rodney) (b. Detroit, MI 1953) is an internationally award winning Detroit-based multidisciplinary outsider artist and co-founder of Schinkel Fine Art LLC. Since 2010, together with her son Theodore (Teddy) M. Schinkel, they share a generative art practice. Linda and Teddy create and exhibit their work in the former Moross House, the oldest brick dwelling in Detroit where art + architecture merge.Their unique artwork features one-of-a-kind and Limited Edition original artwork. Their mission is to engage, energize and empower viewers on a journey of exploring the sublime to unlock dreams. The Schinkels' formed a nonprofit 501c3, Conceptions Connect, in 2019, to expand their art education and community work with schools, nonprofits and the community.
Linda has seen first-hand empowerment derived from collaboratively creating. Inspiring belief in one’s future and promoting the commensurate growth mindset underlies her work. One such collaborative work created with Kids Kicking Cancer, has been permanently installed at the Cranbrook Institute of Science Museum in Bloomfield Hills, MI since 2014. Additional collaborative work includes installations at Detroit Country Day School, Beverly Hills MI, Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills MI and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's Office.
While maintaining a lifelong art practice, in 2000 Linda's life purpose focused on the visual arts. Her work is influenced by her life experiences, travels across six continents and her extensive academic study of art and art history including — earning a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, and participating in an intensive global art program with National Geographic.
Linda gained gallery representation in 2004, with her work featured in Style and Ambassador magazines. She continued gallery representation with Teddy in London, England; Miami, Florida; and Detroit, Michigan. Linda has had two artist residencies - at Ox-Bow School of Art in Saugatuck, MI and at Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, MI. In recognition of her artistic achievements, Linda received the 49th Distinguished Women’s Award from Northwood University in Midland, Michigan.
Together they have exhibited internationally in Paris, London and Tuscany and nationally in NYC, Miami, Los Angelos, Chicago, Denver and Detroit, winning multiple awards including Best of Show for Innovation, Technology and Design in Beverly Hills CA. Collectors include national and international individuals, businesses, hospitals, schools, public officials and museums.
Theodore M. Schinkel Biography
Theodore (Teddy) M. Schinkel (b. Sylvania, OH 1986) is an internationally acclaimed award winning Detroit multidisciplinary outsider artist and co-founder of Schinkel Fine Art LLC. With his mother, Linda, they have shared a generative art practice since 2010. Linda and Teddy create in their studio and exhibit their work in the former Moross House, the oldest brick dwelling in Detroit where art + architecture merge. Their unique work features one-of-a-kind and Limited Edition original artwork. Teddy explores known and unknown existence in an effort to enlarge perspective and shared understanding.
Teddy’s growth from toddler to adult was shaped by the arts. Facing significant challenges with processing and reading—severe enough to qualify him for Braille—he turned to art as both a coping mechanism and a powerful means of self-expression. Through creative projects, Teddy found a way forward. A pivotal moment came in elementary school, when he engaged in enriching art experiences with Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen (Nick), the Dutch-born illustrator of Michigan’s Official Children’s Book. These early artistic encounters played a key role in Teddy’s development, resilience and continue to influence his practice.
Teddy embraces collaboration, valuing the creative synergy that comes from working with others. Teddy’s artwork transforms based on the viewer’s physical position, introducing a unique sense of interactivity. This dynamic quality invites layered interpretations and challenges viewers to engage with unfamiliar perspectives. Through this approach, Teddy seeks to foster a deeper sense of interconnectedness and encourage appreciation for the common ground we all share. Linda and Teddy formed a 501c3 nonprofit, Conceptions Connect, in 2019 to expand their extensive collaborative art installations with schools, nonprofits and the community.
At the age of five, Teddy, along with a small group of relatives, was invited to the first U.S. exhibition of Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s work held at the Art Institute of Chicago. Schinkel (1781–1841), a prominent Prussian architect and artist, is a familial ancestor. This early exposure left a lasting impression and continues to inspire Teddy's practice today.
Teddy and Linda’s studio is located in the historic former Moross House Museum—Detroit’s oldest brick residence—now home to Schinkel Fine Art Studio and Showroom. This unique setting deeply influences their work where art and architecture merge as they create handcrafted pieces shaped by their shared vision, life experiences and desire to positively influence viewers' lives.
Teddy has completed artist residencies at the Ox-Bow School of Art in Saugatuck, MI, and Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, MI. He is a graduate of Denison University in Granville, OH and worked in the film industry in Los Angelos, Dallas, Atlanta and Detroit before focusing on his artist practice.
Together they have exhibited internationally in Paris, London and Tuscany and nationally in NYC, Miami, Los Angelos, Chicago, Denver and Detroit, winning multiple along the way including Best of Show for Innovation, Technology and Design in Beverly Hills CA. Collectors include national and international individuals, businesses, hospitals, schools, public officials and museums.