Wolfgang A. Ritschel first enjoyed a successful academic career in the medical sciences before being able to devote most of his time and energies to his "first love," the visual arts, and to become a nationally and internationally exhibited expressionist painter and sculptor.
While growing up in Austria, an art professor first noticed his passion and talent for art, took him aside, and offered free studio classes to promote Wolfgang's fledgling talents during the challenging times of post-war Europe. Later, and throughout his increasingly demanding professional life, he never stopped painting and drawing. In his many travels to congresses and teaching assignments all over the world, he always took along his sketch pad and travel set of watercolors so they would be available at a moment's notice. Finally, he decided to take early retirement from the University of Cincinnati where he had taught generations of future pharmacists and physicians, and took art courses and master classes at the University of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Art Academy, Miami University, Oxford, and at the Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, Colorado. Thus, an equally successful "new life" as an artist had been launched.
Wolfgang's figurative-expressionist painting style and use of vibrant colors has deep roots in the German expressionism of Gabriele M�nter and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, whom he considered his "idols." In his expressionist rendering of city scenes he depicted both the excitement and cultural richness of city life, and at other times themes such as the socio-economic disparities and the isolation of their inhabitants.
Still, an even more profound breakthrough in developing his unique signature style occurred during his assignments as a twice Senior Fulbright Scholar doing high-altitude medical research in the Chilean Andes Mountains. Previously, he had already been strongly impressed and visually and artistically enriched and affected by visits to other sun-drenched countries such as South Africa, Israel, and Peru. Yet the extreme altered color and depth perception he encountered in Chile --- the country with the highest sun intensity in the world --- at an altitude of 4360 m (14,300 ft.), demanded a radically different approach using pure pigments, even bolder colors, and an increased contrast between light and shadow with a new sharpness of form and shape. Eventually, Wolfgang carried over his new painting style to portrayals of the American South-West and other "Roads of America," including his beloved adoptive home of Cincinnati.Wolfgang's artistic career began to blossom in the 1990's and throughout the years he had managed to have over 60 solo shows as well as participating in over 250 group shows. The early recognition and appreciation of his work encouraged Wolfgang to take an early retirement from the University of Cincinnati to pursue his original dream of becoming a full time artist.
In 2010, Wolfgang passed away after a long struggle with cancer. Many friends in the art world and medical fields alike were deeply saddened by the news. This exhibition commemorates Wolfgang's life and features over 40 of his paintings that were enriched and inspired by his worldwide travels._____________________________________________________ 
Felix Eboigbe is a Nigerian-American wood sculptor. His sculptures are physical translations of Benin legends and are exhibited throughout America, Europe, and Africa.
After serving as an apprentice to the famous Nigerian sculptor Ben Aye, he opened his first art gallery in Lagos, Nigeria and quickly rose to fame. Through the efforts of the Ford Foundation, the United States Information Agency and the American Embassy, he was invited to come to America as a teacher and resident sculptor at Indiana University and later, University of Cincinnati. Eboigbe's notable exhibitions include: United Nations Plaza (New York City), the Smithsonian Institute's Traveling Exhibition (Washington, D.C.), Tangeman Fine Arts Gallery (Cincinnati, Ohio), Midwest Museum and Indianapolis Museum (Indiana). Collectors include: Bill Cosby, Kirk Douglas, David Brubeck, and major corporations like Texaco and Cincinnati Bell, among others. Eboigbe has been recognized for his outstanding achievements by the publications Art in America, Ebony, and Essence magazines. He has appeared on "Good Morning America". Eboigbe resides in Cincinnati, Ohio and is a father of three children and two grandchildren. |
