Because the human spirit is a fragile thing I've tried to create a world full of beauty, color and design by surrounding myself with works of art. In these stressful times paintings created by me and others feed my spirit enrich the soul and offers this artist a haven from the daily hustle and bustle of life.

The greatest influence on my work have been the artists of the Arts and Crafts movement in America. Payne, Wendt, Puthuff, Bischoff, Smith, Kleitsch and Ritschell; also east coast artist like Hassam,Twachtman and Benson have also cast their artistic spell on me. These artists and many others all have played a part in how I paint today. Why has Wendt been a greater influence than Phil Dike, why has the work of Edgar Payne been a greater influence than George Gibson, is a question that needs to be answered to understand the impact the art they created has had on my soul?

It is really very simple, the colors and shapes created by these artist, the way they painted how they saw the landscape is the way I want to see and paint. When Mary Cassat saw the work of Degas the first time in Paris before the end of the 19th Century she said exactly the same thing. Even though the Arts and Crafts movement might imply that precision and detail are my passion, far from it, my desire is to instill a feeling, and not minute details, that is my artistic mission.

Now the process is not without its trials; every painting starts en plein air, usually a small sketch of a vista that I find exhilarating. These plein air sketches are done quickly and will be the foundation for larger works done in the studio.

Breathing life and spirit into my work is what takes time and patience, this can't be rushed. Towards the end of the process heavy impasto paint is applied in a crescendo of activity. This however does not always mean the end, the painting is done; how often have I taken down a painting from a wall I thought done months ago, but because I believe it needs a touch of color a line to make the work more harmonious, more dramatic more balanced, I find my work is rarely done.  

Karl Dempwolf

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