Walther von Krenner

Kalispell, MT, United States

About Walther von Krenner

Born 1940 in Bavaria, Germany. Moved to the USA in 1960. Worked and exhibited in Hawaii, Japan, China, Colombia, Germany etc. Studied Chinese and Japanese brush painting and calligraphy since 1958. Attended Tamarind Institute in 1961 in Los Angeles (June Wayne). Created two limited editions with the famous master printer Ernest De Soto at the De Soto Studio in San Francisco. Studied in Japan1967-1969. Upon returning to the US (Hawaii)I explored the connection between Shodo calligraphy and abstract painting. From 1974 to about 1979 worked on portraits of American Indians in photo realistic style.1969-1973 VP and curator at "The Gallery" in Lahaina. 1973 founder and Pres. of "International Valuation Consultants" in Honolulu. Owner of "Al Hilal" Arabian horse ranch in NW Montana. 1981 Founder of Sandokan Aikido schools in Montana. Studied modern and traditional painting in China (1999-2007) was greatly influenced by Fu Baoshi, Chang Dai Chien and Liu Kuo Sung. In 1996 until now listed in Marquis Who is Who in America. Recipient of the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. Inducted in 2000 US Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Author of five Books on Asian subjects.

Education:

Professional degree in Art Evaluation. Associate Professor of Asian Art (American University, Mauna Olu).

Studied Zen, Calligraphy and the art Aikido for over 55 years with the leading masters of those disciplines.

Exhibitions:

Exhibited nationally in Santa Fe, Seattle, Los Angeles, Kalispell, Honolulu Hawaii. Internationally in Japan (Takamori) Colombia (Bogota) and Germany.
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About:
Walther v. Krenner is well known in the United States, Europe and the Orient for his unique style of ink paintings. These works display a remarkable range, varying between delicate grace and outright earthiness, reflecting his years of study of Zen and his disarming sense of reality.
Von Krenner's successful works depend on his arduous discipline, careful observation of nature, strict control of the brush and his great sensitivity to living things. After many years of training, it has become possible for him to work swiftly, without accident or loss of detail, to achieve realistic effects which are most remarkable in their portrayal of the spirit of nature. A rhythmic vitality enlivens Von Krenner's work which mirrors the spirit of the universe expressing the soul rather than the outward form. Calvin J. Goodman (Art Critic and Consultant)
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I very much admire your paintings. They set me off on another chain of thought about landscape and abstraction. As the Japanese read character into supposedly inanimate objects like rocks, so also many of your paintings evoke moods in me. Not identification with concrete vistas, like many 'scenery' effects on pottery, they are abstract reckonings in colors and rhythms that evoke features of worlds of air and water in all their manifestations, mountains and declivities, trees and grasses.Blue mists, dark green foliage, stone blackened with the sheen of rain, snow in corners. The minds doors are set ajar in ways that are foreign to simple representation. Arthur O'Neil, Australia (collector)