Jurgen Wilms
Born in Germany in 1951, Jurgen grew up in a small town near the border of
France. After finishing High School in 1970, he studied art at the Academy of
Fine Arts in Karlsruhe, 150 miles south of Frankfurt. His peers were heavily
influenced by abstract expressionism, pop art, minimal concept, photo realism,
etc. Jurgen was not attracted to these ideals and instead felt a natural
inclination towards the work of the pre-Raphaelites, surrealist, Turner,
Rembrandt, Rubens, Velazques, Durer, Corot, etc. Going against the trend at the
time, Wilms felt certain frustration with the art scene.
Wilms left the Academy in 1974 and traveled to India where he immersed
himself in eastern philosophies. He did not paint for over three years.
Returning to Europe, he began traveling extensively while doing illustrations
for the Bkaktivedanta Book Trust, painting scenes from old Indian scriptures.
Settling for a time in Florence, Italy, and influenced by the museums full of
Italian art, Wilms’ penchant for landscapes began to emerge.
In 1982, he made his way across the United States, ending his journey in
San Francisco. In 1992 he settled in Hawaii, and while today he spends much
time traveling extensively, Wilms continues to paint his extraordinary
landscapes.
Harbor Gallery is located next to Café Pesto in Kawaihae, and is
open daily from 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM. Stop by and see the works of over 130 Big
Island artists!
