German artist Hella Kalkus studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bremen and then worked for twenty years as a fashion journalist in Milan. Painting in oil on medium to large canvases, Kalkus' works are influenced by her emotions and views on a rapidly changing world and express her innermost feelings about life. Her works are often manifested in a muted palette that is hinting of a blurry imagination. The perception is deliberately ambiguous, but blurred image elements nevertheless suggest a deeper analysis of reality. Recently, she moved to Menton, in the south of France, where she discovered her love for its wonderful botanical gardens, beginning to explore them with paintbrush and easel. The Mediterranean environment influences not only the image content but also the palette. Nevertheless, her view remains rather Nordic and cool, the sensuality of these places of longing is viewed from a distance and the sometimes overwhelming beauty can only be endured through an analytical filter. After focusing for many years on the perception of beauty in fashion and glossy magazines and at the same time aspiring to a more timeless and silent aesthetic, she continues her journey to the Mediterranean, without losing depth in the lightness of touch. "For me, painting is not a way to find answers, but a way to continue asking questions. Staying curious, without presuming to know, can change perspective, and help keep the adventure of travel alive. Canvas is for me this place without borders where one can explore the surface and the depths of oneself, intimacy and the outside world, dreams and reality.”
