Erich Kraft: My Ways into Art –
Typesetter, Graphic Designer, Advertiser, Artist, Surrealist ...

A couple of years ago, a visitor at an opening event of an exhibition told me: „My dear Erich Kraft, seeing your way to paint, I think you are a romantic surrealist.“

I liked that. And of course I know, that there are interrelations between surrealism and romanticism, especially German romanticism. The surrealists and the romanticists dealt with dreams, with the unconscious, with the supernatural, still grappling with these concepts. Probably all people do. More or less.

My paintings and bronzes are invitations to the viewer. Invitations to a rendezvous between my fantasy and his or her fantasy.

And what goes with a rendezvous? We bring curiosity, self-consciousness and openess to a rendezvous. Courage, too. Otherwise there could be no resonance. So, let us be open to surprises.

I startet with pencil drawings, had a fling with collages and architectural art.

Via abstract art and expressive paintings I came to surrealism. This view or philosophy of life and its artistic style are somehow close to me. Just have a look at the world, the digital world too – surreal is an adjective coming often to mind.

You are welcome
to download for free
a small brochure
about my artistic.

You are also welcome
to call me.
Best time to talk is
monday to thursday
in mid morning.
+49 (0)6224 76 88 17

Many great artists inspire, accompany and guide me on my way as an artist.

For example Max Ernst, Salvadore Dali, Tanguy, de Chirico, René Magritte. Also Rudolf Hausner, belonging to the Phantastic Realism.

I could learn a lot from many people. And I am still learning. I find stimulation in the real world, in the surreal and digital world. And I try to evolve my own artistic style.

In doing so, I always experimentalise with colors, techniques and themes.

I do not want to proclaim messageswith my art. My paintings are dream-stories, surrealistic comics, symbolic treatments of central themes, which are with me: The elementary power of love, the cycle of becoming and decay, departure and to be on the road. The great fables I am fascinated with. The archetypes within us. Sometimes clear, sometimes obscured.

Because I believe, if we follow our yearnings, we obtain deeper insights into our own soul and self.

Bronzes complement the visual perception with the haptic.

Some years ago, I discovered for me the castings of bronzes. A fascinating art, using a fascinating material with quite a unique look-and-feel and aesthetics. For me an new creative process with new applications. The visual appearance meets the surface feel. The bronzes are meant to be touched.

Here the Erich-Kraft-Vita: My way as an artist.

I was born in 1950, in Sandhausen near to Heidelberg, Germany. Typesetter apprenticeship in times of metal type.
A solid fundation for my artistic career.
Afterwards I attended the former Werkkunstschule Mannheim, today University of Applied Sciences, student with Hans Nagel.
First artistic works: pencil drawings, collages, architectoral art, orientation towards painting, abstract, expressive and surrealistic themes, mostly oil paint on canvas.
In addition setting up of an advertising agency
Regional and nationwide art exhibitions
Later on in various European contries
Today, I work and live in Bucheneck Castle, Leimen near to Heidelberg.

Please, have a look on my website.
I am looking forward to receive your frank suggestions, proposals and criticism. Thank you.

You may read also, what the media write about my art.

Here you cmay see a list of my exhibitions.

See also all Erich Kraft original paintings in my digital gallery.

You are interested in art prints of my paintings?