Local artist Ivonne Kramer has created a distinctive 2026 calendar featuring twelve artistic interpretations of Fritzlar, commissioned by the city's tourism marketing department. The calendar combines photography, ink, and watercolor techniques to present the historic German town from fresh perspectives, offering both residents and visitors a new way to see familiar landmarks.
Kramer, born in Fritzlar in 1988, had never considered creating a calendar until city employee Sandra Ritting approached her with the project proposal. As a native of Fritzlar who has known the city's streets, squares, and festivals since childhood, Kramer immediately embraced the opportunity to showcase her hometown through her artistic lens.
The artist embarked on extensive exploration of the city, capturing images at different times of day - from early morning light to evening shadows. She sought unusual perspectives and new viewpoints that would capture Fritzlar's essential character, including quiet corners, bustling streets, and familiar architectural details. From these photographs, she selected the motifs best suited for artistic interpretation, which she then transformed in her studio into mixed-media works combining ink, watercolor, and photography.
Remarkably, Kramer completed the entire series in just two weeks - a process that typically requires much more time. She presented the city with twelve finished motifs, all of which were accepted without any changes. The artist deliberately chose a vertical format for the calendar, believing it provides a clearer, more peaceful composition suitable for both architectural subjects and figurative scenes.
Kramer's artistic background includes graduating with distinction from the Kassel Art Academy in 2024, where she studied fine arts beginning in 2018. Her thesis project, titled "Before Forgetting," explored her family history between 1900 and 1960, examining themes of memory, loss, love, war, and hope through intricate hand drawings and text sequences. The work was exhibited at venues including the Kunstbalkon Kassel and the Museum Hochzeitshaus in Fritzlar during Hessentag.
In addition to her artistic pursuits, Kramer works in the family business K. Fischer-Kramer Office and Art Supplies, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. Since 2016, she has operated her own studio where she offers courses on Mondays and Thursdays, as well as individual lessons.
The calendar's artistic approach creates visual connections between past and present. For instance, while Fritzlar's cathedral appears in the calendar as expected, it doesn't dominate the image. Instead, the intensely blue water of a fountain in the foreground takes center stage, making the familiar scene appear both recognizable and refreshingly new. Medieval city walls are juxtaposed with modern everyday objects, such as the red telephone box near the Gray Tower - a charming symbol of the English sister city partnership. Flag bearers also appear, referencing the partnership with Casina.
Kramer deliberately reconstructed many visual elements, extracting people or details from photographs and recomposing them in different contexts or adding hand-drawn passages. Ink lines structure the images while watercolor brings them to life. Her goal was to make the city's vitality visible, showing not just places but also identity, history, and community.
The 2026 Fritzlar calendar, titled "Ink and Watercolor," is being produced in a limited edition of 250 copies. It's available for purchase at the Tourist Information office, Dombuch Vockeroth bookstore, and Fischer-Kramer Office and Art Supplies in Fritzlar for 15.50 euros. The original artworks, measuring 30 by 40 centimeters, are available as unique pieces, with the Fraumünster Church motif already sold.
Kramer expressed her enthusiasm about the project, stating that the commission brought her great joy and that the calendar represents something very special to her. This sentiment is shared by many who have seen the calendar, including visitors to Christmas markets, tourists, and Fritzlar residents who glimpse it in the Tourist Information office window. The calendar offers a unique perspective on the town - showing familiar sights through an artistic language that surprises and delights viewers, presenting Fritzlar through the eyes of a locally rooted artist who doesn't merely depict the city but interprets it.
