2. Vital Statistics Born in 1927 in Stuttgart, Germany. Wolf Kahn is still living today with his wife, the painter Emily Mason. They have two daughters, Cecily and Melany. He lives in New York City but spends his summers and autumns in Vermont on a farm.
3. Key Personal Events Fled Germany at age 12 to escape the Nazis in 1939 and came to America in 1940, giving him exposure to both German and American art. Attended an art and music high school in New York City and went on to study at the Hans Hofmann School where he was educated about art and he acquired his true passion for painting. Kahn spent time as a lumberjack, which increased his love and fascination with nature. Kahn continued on to the University of Chicago and received his bachelor’s degree. Traveled to places all over the world and painted landscapes, taking new techniques and interesting images along with him. Kahn lived in Italy and this inspired him to use light colors and lighting in different ways, he even made some pieces that were almost entirely white.
4. Key Historical Events Kahn lived in Nazi Germany as a child. Lived in America through the 1950s and 1960s in times of painterly freedom and time of expression.
5. Influence of Art World Attended a school under the teachings of Hans Hofmann, and became his assistant. Kahn learned stylistic techniques and used Hofmann’s practice of using nature as a starting point in a painting. Inspired by Matisse’ palate of colors. Inspired by Rothko’s color choices and usage of Color Field. Inspired by American Impressionism and using dots, lines, and streaks. As art changed over time, for example when pop art became popular, it inspired Kahn to continue as a landscape painter but get away from description. Kahn is inspired by all colors, because he believes that the color is the most important element in a painting, something he leaned from his mentor Hans Hofmann. Kahn received numerous art awards; his work is in multiple galleries and has been written about for his paintings and contributions to the art world. Kahn teaches his views of color importance to the art world and the necessity of using both bright hues of pinks, greens, and blues, and dull earthy colors like blacks, grays, and browns. He encourages using all colors. Kahn’s views have made him a highly regarded colorist and admired landscapist.
6. Stylistic Traits Kahn utilizes Color Field, giving his colors a low contrast, he also uses other abstracting techniques different lighting and colors to blend the image together, especially seen in Connecticut River Fall -2007. Kahn uses realism to portray the images as they are seen and to show accurate pictures as seen in the piece Dark Barn, Blue Sky -2007. Kahn traditionally paints landscapes and nature scenery in the traditional way, always having a horizon. Many paintings include barns. This can be seen in the work of art Summer -1983. Pastels and paints are the two mediums used by Kahn to create a blended look to add to his paintings like the one called Evening over the Valley -1975.
7. Example #1 Connecticut River Fall -2007 Kahn utilizes Color Field, giving his colors a low contrast, he also uses other abstracting techniques different lighting and colors to blend the image together.
8. Example #2 Dark Barn, Blue Sky -2007 Kahn uses realism to portray the images as they are seen and to show accurate pictures.
9. Example #3 Summer -1983 Kahn traditionally paints landscapes and nature scenery in the traditional way, always having a horizon. Many paintings include barns.
10. Example #4 Evening over the Valley -1975 Pastels and paints are the two mediums used by Kahn to create a blended look to add to his paintings.
