Holger Baehr

Originally from Germany, Holger Baehr currently lives and works in County Longford,  this is where he discovered his love for painting. Following his  natural artistic instinct he acquired techniques and preferences which he related through his work.

Working with acrylics he uses paint in either a layering or sketching process. He often works on a series of paintings at a time with each one feeding the next and brings a certain harmony to the body of work. Whilst some pieces stand alone, new direction in his work has resulted in certain pieces being connected to each other, and consequently should remain side by side in a series as one piece.

His paintings always associate with the surrounding landscape. Holger paints from memory, but often inspired by continuous journeys through the Irish countryside, especially the Shannon region where he lives. Reacting to visual and atmospheric elements around him  the resulting work is meditative for both the artist and observers. This brings a quiet beauty to the paintings.

“My aim is for the viewer to connect personally with each composition – to be reminded of a place they once knew, or visited by an unexpected moment of emotion. My love for Ireland and its countryside can be seen in the various paintings”

Although the subject matter can be recognised as landscape, it has an abstract quality to it. The basic elements of the landscape are broken down into more simplified forms and Holger tries to capture and portray the climatic qualities of a certain place at a certain point in time, which he does superbly. The  paintings require close-up viewing to appreciate the underlying layers of paint and compel the viewer to take a closer look, resulting in an intimate viewing experience.

“I like the idea that my paintings give pleasure to others, as this is the purpose of a painting”