Gerhardt Isringhaus

Gerhardt Isringhaus who signs his work Isha (°1948, St. Louis, Mo, United States) creates paintings, photographs and prints. My art uses different mediums and subjects, but all is my personal point of view. It is a diary of my encounters with spirit in the matter. I search for magic in all my creations. My work moves between abstract expressionism and realism to depict a feeling rather than a representation of physical reality. I do this to achieve a more powerful expression relying on the subconscious mind to direct the creation.

I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. As a child I begin by copying the Dutch Masters. Unfortunately, my parent could not understand my fascination with cheap cigars. Undaunted, I filled a cigar box with pastels and kept working. In the fourth grade I won my first second place award. It was an impressionistic pastel drawing of some trees. The first-place winner was a girl who did a crayon drawing of the horse Black Beauty. My French art teacher said, “She is just a little girl in love with a big black stallion. Your drawing is magnifique. You’re a genius, my little friend.”

With these words of encouragement, I was determined to become an artist. The only stumbling block was my father who insisted I become a dentist. Convincing him the value of an artistic life was like pulling teeth, so I took my cigar box full of pastels and hitchhiked west to California where I studied at the Art Center College of Design. Currently I live and work in Baja California Sur which is the Mexican part of California.

Art Center College of Design, Los Angeles, CA, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA., University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.

1966-1968, Freelance photographer St. Louis, Mo and Los Angeles, Ca.
1970-1971, Photojournalist London, England. Frendz and International Times.
1972, Artist in Residence, Cinnabar Theater, Petaluma, CA.
1974, Performance Artist Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley, CA
1975, Certificate of Photographic Excellence, Nikon Inc.
1975, "Isha's Zoo" Woodcuts published on pillows and sold in Sears Roebuck, USA.
1978, Winner Pacific Sun Photo Contest.
1980-1983, Photojournalist, Rohnert Park-Cotati Clarion.
2003, Digital Art featured in Art on Paper Magazine.
2004, Photos featured in Images of American, Cotati, CA.
2006, Artist Interview, CBS 7 Chicago on Joey the Clown painting.
2007, Winner, "Come Fly with Me" Frank Sinatra video contest.
2008, Photos featured in The Family of Man Project 2.
2009, Winner, Human Rights Photo Contest.

1967--St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, MO; One Man Show, B/W Photography.
1968--Art Center College of Design, Los Angeles, CA; Group Show, Color Photography.
1969--L.A Art Directors Guild, Los Angeles, CA; Group Show.
1970-71--Frendz Newspaper, IT Newspaper, London, England; photos of rock and roll and hippie subculture published.
1972--Cinnabar Theater, Petaluma, CA, Artist in Residence.
1973--Korbel Winery, Guerneville, CA, Group Show
Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley, CA, Group Show;
1974--Cinnabar Theater, Petaluma, CA, One Man Show
1975--Nikon Gallery, New York, NY, Group Show; Color Photography.
Nana’s Gallery, Petaluma, CA, One Man Show
Small World Gallery, San Raphael, CA, Group Show
1976--A Chez Nous, Cotati, CA, One Man Show.
Sears Roebuck, USA, “Isha’s Zoo” Woodcuts on pillows.
1977--Living Color Gallery, Aspen, CO, One Man Show.
1978--Uptown Gallery, Sebastopol, CA, One Man Show.
1979--Pfhordable Photo Gallery, Cotati, CA, One Man show.
1980--Sonoma State Gallery, Rohnert Park, CA, Group Show
1981--Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA, Group Show.
1982--Santa Rosa J.C. Santa Rosa, CA, Group Show.
1983--Cotati Cabaret, Cotati, CA, One Man Show.
1983--Sonoma State Library, Rohnert Park, CA, Group Show.
1985--Rohnert Park Cultural Center, Rohnert Park, CA, Group Show.
1987--Lincoln Arts Center, Santa Rosa, CA, Group Show.
1989--CLuther Burbank Center for the Arts, Santa rosa, CA, Group Show.
1992--University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Ca, Group Show; Mixed Media.
1994--Cotati City Hall, Cotati, CA, One Man Show
2003--Art on Paper Magazine, Britney Spaniel print featured.
2004--Images of America, Cotati. Photos featured in book.
2006--Gallery 27+, New York, NY. Group Show.
2007--Second Place in the "Come Fly With Me" Frank Sinatra video contest.
2008--Riverside Gallery, Asheville, NC. Group Show.
2010--Applebox, Petaluma, CA. One Man Show. "Lovely Ladies."
2010--Applebox, Petaluma, CA. One Man Show "Exalted Earth,"
2012-- Maurer Gallery, Cabo San Lucas, BCS. Group Show.
2016 -- Chashama Gallery, NY Group Show.
2019 - Capitel magazine, "Amelia Earhardt" featured.