Ida Kohlmeyer Is In My Dreams

In my home there was once a beautiful, intriguing painting, and a sculpture by the abstract painter Ida Kohlmeyer 1912-1997. I had many years to look at it and enjoy it. No one was really sure what her pictograhics represented. Years later I decided to move into abstract art  from my previous imaginative books, collages, and prismacolor drawings. Ida Kohlmeyer’s work was in my mind.

During my school years I had been intensely interested in the art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. I learned a lot and was duly influenced in my own work. Therefore this new direction I would take was different; but I did not know it. I was so fortunate that a painter, Nicholas Wilton offered a mentorship for me. He is an abstract painter, who is located in Sausalito Ca. I admired his work so much! When I was interviewed I explained that I wanted to utilize my personal icons. I told him about the painting of Ida Kohlmeyer. I did not have a great lineup of abstract art in my memory banks. During my mentorship I worked very hard and of course the ideas of composition, shape, and color were foremost because of my background. I broke free with ease from ” perspective” and ” light source”. I played with ” surface” in new ways. I learned a lot.

My mentor said that he did not have more to teach me. ( I do not agree). I was advised to paint on my own for a year to truly find myself. The year is  reaching a conclusion. I am so surprised to find that I am painting my own unique pictures and without planning I am utilizing personal icons as I had wished to do.

I am not sure how this happens. I know that I put a lot of myself into my work. The creative process and inspiration is something not easily explained. We are not all the same in what we feel, what we “say” or what speaks to us. Working sincerely, in a private conversation I find that I am making a statement that is unplanned and it is my special dream.