His first book, Grays the Mountain Sends (2013)[3] portrays mountain towns and former mining communities of the American West through portraits of people and landscapes.[4] The work was inspired by Montana poet Richard Hugo. He made the work with a large format 4x5" view camera.[4]
Islands of the Blest (2014), is a compilation of historic photographs taken in the American West from the 1870s to the 1970s. He and Ashlyn Davis sourced from the online archives of the Library of Congress and United States Geological Survey.[5]
Good Goddamn (2017) is about a friend "from rural Texas and his last few days of freedom before going to prison."[6] The book was the first publication of Trespasser, a Texas-based art book publisher Schutmaat co-founded and runs with Matthew Genitempo and Cody Haltom.[7]
Publications
Books by Schutmaat
Grays the Mountain Sends. New York City: Silas Finch Foundation, 2013. ISBN9781936063031. Edition of 600 copies.
Second edition. New York City: Silas Finch Foundation, 2014. ISBN978-1-936063-07-9. Edition of 1200 copies.
Good Goddamn. Austin, TX: Trespasser, 2017. ISBN978-0-692-94637-4. Edition of 750 copies.
Second edition. Austin, TX: Trespasser, 2018. With a letter by Kris. Edition of 750 copies.
County Road. Austin, TX: Trespasser, 2023. ISBN979-8-218-08041-9. Edition of 1500 copies.
Islands of the Blest. New York City: Silas Finch Foundation, 2014. Edited by Schutmaat and Ashlyn Davis. ISBN978-1-936063-10-9. With a poem by Michael McGriff, "Letter sewn into a pantcuff of smoke". Edition of 800 copies.
Second edition. New York City: Silas Finch Foundation, 2016.
Awards
Aperture Portfolio Prize, Aperture Foundation, New York City, winner, 2013 for Grays the Mountain Sends[8]