Hanni Smigaj lives and works as a freelance artist in Metelen Germany North Rhine Westphalia. Born in Olfen, grew up in Ochtrup NRW. Since her 1 1/2-year stay in Ireland 1972/73, Hanni Smigaj has been involved in painting. Initially started as a self-taught artist, she has constantly evolved through self-study, as well as through exchange and work with well known and lesser known artists. From 2000 to 2009 studies for Elders, at the "Universität for Elders" in Osnabrück, art, art history and art education with Prof. Dr. Hartmut Girke. The theoretical part takes place with the summer seminar for pictorial and Natural History studies in the Botanical Garden Osnabrück, each with its practical conclusion. She continues to participate in the summer seminar until today.
2002 and 2004 Participation in the Plain air with international artists and group exhibition Lengerich, Germany.
2005 Participation in the Plain air with international artists and group exhibition in Warta Poland.
In the year 2002 the Artist Forum Münsterland e.V. was founded, where it has been a member since then. From 2005 to 2016, she was a member of the producer community and co-owner of the Galerie "RheineKunst" formerly "EIGEN-ART" in Rheine. Unfortunately, at the end of 2015 the community had to close the gallery for private and organizational reasons. But it still exists as a studio community "RheineKunst ". 2015 to 2017 member of the Kunstkreis Spektrum 88 e.V. (Kulturpreisträger der Stadt Rheine) Since 2018 member of the "gallery Alte Schule Salzbergen" Her inspiration is most nature, especially flowers and stones or the quarry. In abstract expressionism or informell she captures the motive’s on the canvas.
For me is painting Necessity. I need them like the Air to breathe.
Time and space pass away when painting.
"Since man has reason by nature, art is not a contradiction of nature, but the completion of nature ." (Ovid)
"I'm not looking, I find ." (Picasso)
There is no better motive for me than nature. With color, shapes and structures, I try to bring nature to the Canvas in abstract expressionism or informell.
A quarry, for Example, turns into a sea of flowers.
It is these "Color Sounds " with which they arouse the suggestion of the image of nature. (Elvira Meisel-Kemper), Art Historian.
Stones, of all shapes and colours, have a special fascination on me. I am not interested in photographic imaging, but rather with the focus of my work is on dealing with material, colours and shapes.
During the work process, an artistic development from the naturalistic to the abstraction emerges.
I prefer free painting, where I can immerse myself completely and live out the exploration of shapes and colors.
With acrylic/oil colors, pigments, sand and various natural materials, I create color compositions that create abstract color landscapes or collages through shapes and structures.
For flowers and plants, I limit myself to the essentials, color, to monochrome.
With the exception of a few paper works, I work exclusively on canvas.

My work, Acrylic, Oil-painting, Collagen and Mixed-Media, can be found in private collections in Germany, Ireland, USA, Poland, Netherlands and Switzerland, also in Germany in public institutions.

Hanni Smigaj

Artworks by Hanni Smigaj

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Quarry - VI by Hanni Smigaj

Mixed-media painting

Botanic Garden - 2001 by Hanni Smigaj

Mixed-media painting

Botanic Garden - 2001 by Hanni Smigaj

Mixed-media painting

Knocking on heavens door by Hanni Smigaj

Mixed-media painting

Abstract - VIII - 2017 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting

Abstract - IX - 2017 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting

Abstract - X - 2017 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting

Abstract - XI - 2017 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting

Untitled - V - 2014 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting

Untitled - II - 2014 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting

Untitled - I - 2014 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting

Untitled - IV - 2014 by Hanni Smigaj

Acrylic painting