Artist statement

Ruedi Eichenberger

Abstract paintings with a surrealistic touch.

Wallpaper patterns, plasterwork or just doodles have always animated my fantasy. I've recognized paintings in them and lost myself in the surreal world. Back in my childhood, those were the first contacts with surrealism.

When I was going to school, I used to draw doodles and sketches into my school books. It often started with a simple line that got embellished, shaded and like that everything found it's place, one after another.

Letting things create themselves is an important step in my working. I start working without any plans, I let it arise. I don't work with deadlines, the painting is finished when everything found it's place and I'm satisfied with the painting. I often only realize what it represents when I'm finished.

My goal is to represent the tremendous expressiveness of the nature through my paintings. The power and strength of the wind, the dryness of the ground and even the humid air before a thunderstorm. In my eyes, nature is the mightiest of all artworks.

That's when I combine nature with opposing motives. Surreal elements arise and join in.

First, the canvas is worked on with acryl, following are many  layers of oilpaint.

I mix the surreal and abstract with the goal to create an atmosphere.

I see my paintings as a window, through which you can catch a sight of another world.