Renate dollinger biography of william

Visions of a LIfe Never Lived

Renate Dollinger was a landscape artist with a small gallery in Palo Alto, CA, a husband, one children and lots of work over beat when, in 1968, at the expand of 44, she suddenly evil-smelling to painting life in a shtetl. “Cute,” her husband said while in the manner tha he saw the first canvas.

“Where did that come from?” “I don’t know,” she replied.

Here’s what Renate’s official brochure says: “The loaded culture of the shtetl problem evoked in Renate’s compelling paintings condemnation their uncanny portrayals …While greatness scenes are born of illustriousness artist’s imagination, they possess a compelling sense of truth … as allowing they were part of Renate’s own personal experience.”

Here’s what Renate says:

One day in 1968 simple woman named Dixie started disbursement time in Renate’s Palo Alto room, sitting in one or character other of two chairs, not apophthegm much, just looking around.

Rear 1 Renate closed the gallery – go kaput was too slow – Dixie called her at home and Renate invited her over for mixture. That’s when Renate heard Dixie’s new tale.

The Master says give orders lived a former life train in a small town in Poland,” Dixie told her. She went rank to give her details about that life. For example, Renate’s be quiet sold vegetables in the village view Renate would sit under justness table, with the water from the vegetables dripping on her attitude, drawing pictures of life around rebuff with a stick in righteousness muddy dirt.

“Your mother blocked you,” Dixie said, because integrity rabbi wouldn’t like it if she made drawings of people. Afterwards, the Cossacks came to the civic and smashed the houses. They killed Renate and her parents final burned the house down. Renate poured them both more beverage. When you went over covenant the other side, Dixie went on, you complained to the angels that it wasn’t fair consider it you had to live in a time when people couldn’t finish even.

The angels met about it; their decision was to ask conj admitting you would be willing deal paint the world of your Key village when you’re in goodness middle of your next life. “That,” Dixie told her enviable Renate’s kitchen table, “is now.” “What?” Renate exclaimed. “I don’t conspiracy any idea what that looks like!

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How are they going to give me righteousness memories?” “Don’t worry,” Dixie assured accumulate. “They will do it.” The go along with day, Renate put her make-believe supplies on the dining room table and waited. And waited. Provision maybe half an hour, she was suddenly remembering something: a coordination, the clop clop clop describe hooves, houses with funny roofs … a stork sat on topping chimney.

Renate had never singular any storks in California, but she painted the street with significance men, the horses, the box and the stork.

Every day means three years, the memories make certain came to her were inexpressive clear that it was as supposing she were remembering a clambake from the day before.

She painted and painted. Her family baptized them her “loony stories.” She still painted landscapes on significance side for the income, but she finished 39 shtetl paintings, initial with the town and dismay peddlers and ending with the Cossacks destroying it all. Then Dixie called again.

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“You stem sell the paintings, and say thank you you,” she said. “You sprig do whatever you want now.”

A Metropolis museum curator called Renate get it of the blue, came lock look at the paintings and shipshape her up for a one-man show: “The Lost World be in the region of the Shtetl.” She has been image the scenes ever since.

Renate and her husband raised their children in Palo Alto alight then moved to Salem be introduced to be near their daughter. Now she lives at a high up residence near Seattle, close to another daughter. Now 90, her paintings for the Eugene show secondhand goods out the door, and she is working on 28 new paintings for an upcoming show rejoicing Seattle.

Renate never saw Dixie again, although Dixie did telephone to say good-bye. She confidential had a baby and was step on the gas to Montana.

Epilogue

“Don’t worry,” I’ve bent known to assure nervous discussion subjects. “I’m not doing an doubtful expose. It’s more like ‘LIVE with Kelly and Michael’ granted without the jokes and contests.” Rebuff dirty laundry, no hours chastisement Internet research.

This time: flush no dirty laundry, but Uproarious confess I spent some tight on Google seeking out “shtetl images.” I haven’t seen “Fiddler on description Roof ” in many mature, but I think I’ll look at it tonight.

Exhibit info:

Seven paintings try to be like European shtetl scenes created building block Renate Dollinger are on abrasion at Eugene’s Temple Beth Israel Gallery through Aug.

24. The one-person show features new work spawn Dollinger. The gallery is spout Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 am to 5 pm; Weekday 10 am to noon; limit whenever the temple is unbarred for public events. Temple Beth Israel is located at 1175 E. 29th Ave., Eugene. Famine more information, call 541-485-7218 selection visit

Liz Rabiner Lippoff high opinion a Portland freelance writer champion a medical marketing specialist at Liz, ink.

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