Heinie Hartwig

Heinie Hartwig (born 1939) is a self-taught American representational painter. His subjects--majestic landscapes, snow-capped mountains, Indian teepee encampments--are painted in a style reminiscent of Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Hill (painter), Eastman Johnson, George Inness and John Constable. The greatest influence on Hartwig's style are the techniques and ideas promoted by the 19th century Barbizon school and the later style of Impressionism.

"His sunsets make you cry, they’re so beautiful!" Today Show's Jill Rappaport told Architectural Digest. Rappaport owns a number of Hartwigs. [ [http://www.architecturaldigest.com/magazine/features/2007/06/rappaport_article_062007 Architectural Digest article] ]

Biography

Born in San Jose, California on February 3, 1939 and raised on a convert|4000|acre|km2|sing=on cattle ranch. During his service with the U.S. Army, he travelled to scenic locations, such as Alaska and Germany, which provided inspiration for his desire to capture the beauty of nature with a brush. He married Eva from East Germany and brought her out as the Berlin Wall was going up.

While working in the concrete business in 1970, Hartwig spent his evenings learning to paint. He mastered the art of oil painting well enough to begin selling to galleries after only one year of practice.

Heinie has been an avid runner, bicyclist, backpacker and glider pilot, spending most of his outdoor life in the Western United States, especially California. Hartwig currently resides in the Mother Lode region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California, not to far from the famous Yosemite National Park--the theme of many of his most notable pieces.

ample ArtWork

Perhaps the artist's most sought after pieces are those with scenes of early American Indians living their daily lives amongst the grandest of nature found in the American West or the Plains States. For several years now, all of his works are painted on hardboard (masonite). Seldom does he produce anything larger than 24"x36". When he does, it's considered a special piece. The largest and rarest size he has created is 40"x60". One such painting is called "Spring Runoff (Yosemite Valley)", which was completed in January 2004. It is held in the collection of the Ward Artwork Trust, who recently became a Hartwig sanctioned publisher for limited edition Giclée prints of this original. Hartwig has only once before created fine art reproduction prints of his work.

"Spring Runoff (Yosemite Valley)" has a similar Yosemite Valley view as some of his other work, with El Capitan on the left, Half Dome in the distance and Bridalveil Fall on the right, as well as the Miwok Indian camp in the foreground. However, as Heinie does with many paintings, he used his artistic license for effect and placed the river in a location where it does not really exist.

Art Sales Examples

In July 2003, according to [http://www.askart.com AskArt] , Hartwig's painting "Majestic Mountain" (oil on masonite) was sold at auction for $12,320 (greater than the $5-10,000 range expected). [ [http://www.askart.com/askart/h/heinie_hartwig/heinie_hartwig.aspx Independent Art Reference: askart.com] ]

In November 2005, Hartwig's painting "Cheyenne Burial" (oil on masonite) was put up for auction by Heritage Galleries for between $2,000 and $3,000. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=JUW9WaTvAmAC&pg=PA133&dq=heinie+hartwig&ei=AsnIR9-mD5CUzQTng5ysCQ&sig=3aHOi42-lwxeK9LN49N1CV2ifMY Heritage Galleries Fine Art Signature Auction Catalog #621] ]

In January 2008, Hartwig's miniature painting "Indian Encampment" (4.25" x 6.25") (oil on masonite) was auctioned by Clars Auction Gallery for $550, setting a price-per-inch record for a Hartwig original at over $20 per inch. [ [http://www.clars.com/archive/year_2008/jan2008/460_prices_realized.html Clars Auction Gallery Lot #6014] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.myartbuzz.com Heinie Hartwig profile at myARTbuzz.com]
* [http://www.rubylane.com/shops/bassfineart/item/HAR09162005 "Indian Encampment," Ruby Lane Antiques]
* [http://www.askart.com/askart/h/heinie_hartwig/heinie_hartwig.aspx Askart entry, Heinie Hartwig]