Co-author / illustrator
Hanne Lore Koehler
co-author / illustrator
of
DJ
MacDonald Book One: A Tale of a
Malipayon Warrior
About the
co-author / illustrator:
Born in Aachen,
Germany,
Hanne Lore Koehler immigrated to
Canada with her parents at the age of two. She grew
up, an only child, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and married her
childhood sweetheart. They now live in nearby
Cambridge. They have two
children and two grandchildren from which comes the inspiration for much
of her work.
Hanne:
My style might be described as naturalistic because
I paint
from instinct. I
paint for the love of it with the spontaneity, confidence and
flexibility that comes with a trial and error learning method. I am not
formally educated in art but when it comes to my work, as in my life, I
have
always followed my heart. For the most part, I am self-taught, although
my
father, who studied art in Cologne and Vienna, greatly influenced my
style by
exposing me to all sorts of art at a young age. I am grateful that he
gave me
basic tools and allowed me to experiment. As such, painting has been
part of my
life since childhood.
The first painting that I sold was of a country
drive shed.
As I was sitting at the side of a quiet gravel road painting the scene
enjoying
my freedom, the owner of the farm came out to have a look. When I was
finished,
he introduced me to his wife who was blind. He described the painting to
her in
detail. When he had finished his description, she said. "I love it,
we'll
buy it!" I was stunned! This was the incentive that I needed even though
I
knew the sale was more the result of the man's talent for words.
Today, my vibrant watercolors and oil paintings
cannot be
labeled in only one category. My paintings reflect my life: enriched
with
excitement as well as quiet times. Though my life has not been free of
sadness
and pain — I am human like everyone else — I prefer to concentrate on
painting
the best of life rather than the worst. My fascination with capturing a
flash
of movement in a motionless art-form is evident in my sports paintings
and
energetic portraits. Moments of tenderness are reflected in my still
life art,
gardens and landscapes. Humor and silliness echo in my fantasy images,
children's murals and picture books.
I am inspired by daily occurrences: the way a beam
of
sunlight can back-light a rose petal on a summer evening, a misty shadow
on a
moody meadow, children laughing, reflections. The icy crack of a slap
shot at 5:00
a.m. practice is to me as intriguing to paint as the cup of steaming hot
marshmallow chocolate afterward. The adrenaline rush felt by a skier
blasting
through powder, the priceless expressions on the faces of youngsters
during an
energetic soccer match, the simple flicker of a lace curtain in a summer
morning farmhouse breeze, a new pet — life is full of excitement and
wonder. Although
my subjects are as varied as my interests, they always exude my love of
life. I
hope to arouse a "feel-good" emotion in the viewer with my work —
happiness, reminiscence, excitement, contentment, amazement — as I try
to
satisfy the eye with form, the mind with purpose and the soul with
imagination.
A few years ago, I was approached by a book
publisher to
illustrate a child's picture book. I enjoyed the experience so much
that I
wrote and illustrated a few books of my own which were subsequently
published. When
Corie asked me to co-author her book, I must admit that I was hesitant.
Since
our backgrounds are so completely different, the partnership seemed very
unlikely; however, as I came to know her, her imagination and talent,
her
commitment to the book and excitement about the story won me over. I
have
enjoyed collaborating with her on this fantastic project. She has been a
joy to
work with. See more of Hanne's work at Koehler Art Studio Gallery including picture books, audio books,
e-books for children of all ages.
SPORTS ART LANDSCAPES PORTRAITS STILL LIFE CARICATURES
FINE ART WATERCOLORS OIL PAINTINGS MURALS ILLUSTRATIONS
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