The Opening of the Gallery EigenARTig

I had the honor to be invited to the opening of a new gallery: Galerie EigenARTig in Gleschendorf, Schleswig-Holstein/Germany. A friend of mine, painter and photographer, opened up a gallery with two other friends and artists, Saskia Stender and Hanjo Jevgeni (real name Jeesen). Both are painters only and do different paintings.

For the opening they had a wonderful singer and song-writer, Barbara. She sang songs in plattdütsch (low German). Unfortunately I don’t speak and understand it so later she translated them for me. She is a really gifted song-writer and playing the guitar as well.

My friend is Petra Krabbemeyer. Some of you may know her from Facebook where she is with her page CREART. A few weeks ago I have been for a painting session with her. Very nice and interesting – especially for me who likes to paint on walls. It’s NOT the same thing though it seems to be in the first moment.

They expected a few people, mainly from the village they are coming from. But there were hundreds.. in a room small like a normal living room, divided in three parts. Very rustic, all with wooden beams, a little kitchen in the back. An old home of people they know. There were a lot of snacks, made the morning before of one of the artists. Later arrived a cake with congrats for the gallery.

People were coming and going, youngsters as well as elder ones. I loved the two men looking up the catalog of Petra Krabbemeyer and discussing about the paintings and more about the photos.

People asking for prices, where she got this and that photo, how she gets ideas for the paintings. Many of the people knew each others, talking together like neighbors meeting somewhere and exchanging the latest news of the village. And all very proud of their three artists.

Hanjo Jevgeni has the same way of painting like Petra. They just take the brush and colors and start. They let their hands flow and form and create beautiful paintings. Often Petra is using also different materials in a painting.

Saskia Stender is the more realistic one. Her paintings show what she sees. And that is amazing because she paints just the beauty of the things.

I was not only invited, I shot as well the photos for them. Petra is doing a great job on Facebook, the other two are only known by buzz marketing. But they sell all, they do exhibitions and more. Local newspapers are writing about them.

I talked to them a little before the opening and they all do this only for hobby. They can’t live with it but they are really passionate and love it more than anything else. Saskia is a mother of two and Hanjo is retired, Petra is working with elder people.

Nearly all day long I took pictures and having very nice and interesting talks to many people. Some came from far places like Hamburg, Bremen and North Sea. Many of them didn’t know the artists but found out about the opening on Internet or in local places.

I had a wonderful day and have to say: Thank you, Petra, Saskia and Hanjo, that I could be there and witness this nice new gallery opening! I hope many people will come now in the spring and summer time and you will be known well much more far then the north of Germany. Good luck!

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Galerie EigenARTig, Gleschendorf, Schleswig-Holstein/Germany:

For further information:
Creart by Petra Karabbemeyer (in German)
Hanjo Jevgeni (via Petra Krabbemeyer)
Saskia Stender (via Petra Krabbemeyer)

Galerie EigenARTig
Bahnhofstr. 9
23684 Gleschendorf

(closed)

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