
I am a realist! This does not only concern my self-image as an artist, but also as a human being. I like to look closely, and details capture me. Light and shadow on a leaf, the fractal patterns of Romanesco or the strange architecture of a dragonfly. My paintings are meditations on the moment, which is the only thing we truly possess in this life. In every blossom, in every fruit, in every leaf, the whole world is contained, not only in a philosophical sense, but in a very realistic and concrete way, the basic building blocks of nature form me just like a strawberry. The painting process itself is a meditation for me. Immersed in the smallest details, the painting disintegrates for me into areas of color and tonal values and only with the step back does the big picture reveal itself. As in real life, the angle of view is decisive. In the last year the topic "food" has attracted more and more my interest. Food is essential. It affects every human being. What comes on a person's table defines who he is and how he lived. If you know a person's diet, you can most likely tell what his or her state of health, financial situation and where his or her home is. A person's menu says more about him than a passport. Food is identity and connects. It connects you with other people who come from the same imprinting landscape. One shares a preference for certain dishes, one celebrates together with dishes that are known to all. Food is political. In a world in which 11% of people are still hungry and at the same time in industrialized countries overweight has become a widespread disease, nutrition is not a neutral issue. Food is climate-relevant. Approximately 30% of global CO2 emissions are caused by the production and transport of our food. And so what secures our survival, namely our food, also questions our survival. And food inspires me. I love planting, harvesting, preserving and cooking. The artistic examination of food is only a continuation of my everyday life. Most of the reference photos of flowers are from my garden or from the nearby meadows. Many of the fruits, vegetables and flowers shown are from my own cultivation.