Helga Reimann, an 86-year-old painter from Dransfeld and one of the founding members of the Open Studios initiative, will participate in her final Open Studios event this September after nearly two decades of involvement. The veteran artist, who has accumulated approximately 600 paintings over the past 20 years, plans to find new homes for her extensive collection through donations to support a local arts festival.
When 60 artists from the Göttingen district open their doors to visitors during the first and second weekends of September for the Open Studios event, it will mark a bittersweet farewell for Reimann. She has participated in the event since its premiere in 2007, missing only one year throughout its history. "I am now 86 years old and the organizational effort that my husband and I have to put in for the Open Studios is simply too great," Reimann explained, reflecting on her decision to step back from the annual tradition.
Reimann's artistic journey began much earlier in her life but was rekindled two decades ago. Growing up in Hannover, she was an enthusiastic athlete who studied there and later worked as an elementary and middle school teacher while raising a family. Her interest in creative pursuits was sparked early through excellent art instruction at Ricarda-Huch-Schule under Ernst Wolfhagen in Hannover. "The joy of art was awakened and fostered early in me through very good art classes," Reimann recalled. The foundations of design theory she learned during her studies at PH Hannover provided the groundwork for her constant efforts to create vivid and attractive lessons for her students.
However, her own artistic activities remained in the background for many years due to her professional commitments. In 1981, her family moved to Dransfeld due to her husband's career changes, where Reimann continued working as a teacher until her retirement. After another ten years of intensive volunteer work in senior sports and choral singing, she rediscovered artistic creation for herself in 2005.
"At that time, I discovered acrylic paints and canvas for myself," Reimann explained. Since then, working under the logo "EigenART" (which translates to "Own Art"), she has focused not only on pure color painting but also on collages and assemblages as the centerpiece of her artistic activities. She describes her approach as having "a tendency toward collecting and experimenting with materials."
Over the past 20 years, approximately 800 paintings in various sizes have emerged from her creative process. "I chose a different theme each year and then presented these pictures as part of the Monument Art - Art Monument Festival (DKKD) in Hann. Münden or at various other exhibitions," Helga Reimann explained. She has successfully showcased her diverse body of work through multiple venues, building a reputation in the regional art community.
Now, Reimann feels it is time to part with many of her approximately 600 remaining artistic works. For this reason, she wants to use this year's Open Studios event to open her house in Dransfeld from the basement to the attic, where she stores her paintings. "My pictures can be acquired in exchange for a donation to the DKKD 2026 in Münden," Reimann stated. Her motivation is deeply practical and forward-thinking: "I simply want to relieve myself of many things in my life at my age, before they end up in estate waste."
The 86-year-old artist hopes for the best possible response so that the donation account for the Monument Art Festival can grow substantially. Despite stepping back from the Open Studios, Reimann has no intention of turning her back on art entirely. "I simply can't stop, something very important in my life would be missing," she emphasized. Her passion for creation remains undiminished, and she has already firmly planned to participate in next year's DKKD Festival with her own exhibition, ensuring that her artistic journey will continue even as this chapter closes.
