When someone asks me where I'm actually from, I find it hard to answer.

I was born in Leipzig, but grew up in the Allgäu. My family's roots stretch from Saxony to Swabia and even to Russia. Sounds a bit complicated? Maybe it is. But it's precisely this history that has made me the person I am today – and the artist I have become.

Between Leipzig and the Allgäu

I have hardly any memories of my first years in Leipzig. When I was seven, our family moved to Kaufbeuren in the Allgäu. That's where I grew up, and I still associate many fond memories with my childhood there.

The mountains, in particular, fascinated me. I could gaze at them for hours. Eventually, I no longer just wanted to look at them, but to draw them myself. Whether they actually looked like mountains back then, I don't remember today. But they sparked my imagination – and perhaps that was the beginning of my own artistic journey.

I was constantly drawing. In elementary school, word eventually got around. Classmates asked if they could have one of my drawings. Sometimes I'd get a snack in return. Back then, it was just a trade between kids for us. Today, I can only smile about it.

My first dream was different

As a child, I initially had a completely different career aspiration. I wanted to be an engineer.

Everything that moved fascinated me. I built small moving cars, crafted ships, and constantly pondered how things worked. Today, I realize that perhaps it wasn't just drawing that thrilled me back then, but primarily the act of creation itself: bringing something into being with my own hands.

Perhaps that's precisely the common thread that runs through my life to this day. To develop something. To try something out. To make something visible and tangible that previously only existed as an idea.

It's probably not surprising, then, that vehicles continue to find their way onto my canvas. Some interests simply stay with you for a lifetime.

Art was already in my family

A large part of my enthusiasm for painting probably comes from my mother. She is a trained porcelain painter.

I grew up with colors, brushes, and small details. I often simply sat beside her and watched her work. Back then, it was completely natural for me. Today, I realize how much I unconsciously absorbed during that time.

Her patience, concentration, and love of detail shaped me.

Roots that span generations

A story from my family still occupies my thoughts today.

My grandmother lived in Saxony, but spoke a dialect that I couldn't quite place for a long time. Many years later, I learned the reason.

Her ancestors were Swabians and belonged to the families who emigrated to Russia during the time of Catherine the Great. What still fascinates me today: a part of this dialect was preserved for many generations, even though the people around them spoke quite differently.

For me, it's a beautiful example of how strong cultural roots can be. They can persist across generations and connect people – even when their lives and surroundings have long since changed.

The path to art

In school, my drawing was always encouraged. Finally, it was my class teacher who recommended the vocational school for glass and jewelry in Kaufbeuren to me.

Looking back, that was one of the most important recommendations of my life.

There, I not only learned various painting techniques. Above all, I learned patience and precision. The conscious use of color. Working in layers. And the ability to give a work the time it needs.

This craftsmanship foundation still accompanies me today. Many of my works appear spontaneous or free. In reality, however, behind every painting lies a lot of planning, experience, and patience.

From idea to own art

Since 2019, I have been working as a freelance artist.

Today, I live in Leipzig again. The return was for family reasons. But sometimes it feels to me as if a circle has closed. The city where my life began is now again the place where my paintings are created.

I paint animals, people, vehicles, and abstract works. Some paintings begin with a clear idea. Others only develop during the painting process. Sometimes, weeks later, I even discover shapes or details that I didn't notice myself when the painting was being created.

That's exactly what fascinates me about art. A painting can change, even though the paint has long dried – not on the canvas, but in the perception of the person viewing it.

What my art means to me

Perhaps each of my paintings tells a small piece of my own story.

Even more beautiful, however, is the thought that everyone can discover something different in it. A memory. A feeling. A special moment.

Perhaps a motif reminds someone of their childhood. Perhaps someone discovers something in a painting that makes them ponder. Perhaps they simply like the color or the mood.

That's when paint on a canvas becomes something personal.

Today

When I look back on my journey today, I see many different stations: Leipzig, the Allgäu, my family, the mountains of my childhood, the first drawings, my mother's porcelain painting, and my education.

Much of it seemed separate at the time. Today, I recognize a connection in it.

Perhaps the path to art was never a single decision. Perhaps it was more of a development that began very early – with the mountains in the Allgäu, with my first drawings, and with the fascination of creating something with my own hands.

Today, I get to continue this journey as an artist. And I'm excited to see where it will take me next.