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| Bill Ohrmann has been
an artist since he was a young man. Until recently, he has been most
well known as a consumate wood carver, able to represent animals in natural
poses and representing action as few artists have been able to do.
His allegorical themes have been admired in museums and galleries throughout
the Northwest, and beyond (after seeing his work in Knoxville Tennessee,
a family drove to Montana to meet him and commission a piece). His
bronzes have also been sought by collectors throughout the country.
At the age of 80, he began producing welded steel sculptures, not small
simple pieces as one would expect from a beginner to the art, but life
sized models bear, elk and buffalo that can almost be mistaken for the
real animals.
In 1995, after semi-retiring from the registered Angus cattle ranch he had run since 1938, Bill began painting. Although he had done a number of paintings through the years, he had put most of his efforts into his sculptures. The paintings he had done were mostly lovely, peaceful, realistic representations of the wildlife he had known all his life. About this time, however, he read a biography of Vincent Van Gogh. Reading of this artist's struggles to present something deeper than a mere photographic representation of the subject had an impact on Bill's work. He began experimenting with strong colors, emotional composition, and, most of all, subject matter that is, frankly, shocking. Having been a fervent practical environmentalist all his life, Bill began to put on canvas his version of the myriad desecrations with which mankind has spoiled our planet. Overpopulation, destruction of beautiful rivers with obscene dams, trapping; all these insults to our earth have been illustrated in his works. One poignant piece shows a fourwheeler roaring off after the driver has just shot a coyote and hung the carcass on a fence. In a corner of the painting is the den with the coyote's cubs. The title of the piece is "Hope is the Last to Die". Another illustrates a figure representing Satan sitting on a beautiful South Pacific island, with a nuclear blast mushroom cloud in the background, with the text, "Bikini Atoll: A woefully common misconception is that adults in positions of authority know what they're doing. " His current show is entitled "Something to Offend Everyone". And certainly everyone will see themselves in one or another of the paintings. Those who feel the earth was put here only for exploitation and frivolous entertainment are urged to turn to The Harvest, How We Live IV, or Four Wheelers. The senseless torture of animals for the fur industry is illustrated in "Fur Harvest" or "Trappers Lunch". Overpopulation and over use of our limited resources are exemplified in "Planet Earth", "Land of Plenty", "Harvest Of Gods Garden", and many other paintings. Bill wants the viewers of his paintings to think. Is there a reason why a person does not agree with the philosphy presented on the canvas? Do they have the facts and figures to document that the supposed environmental wrong being illustrated does not represent a version of reality? Or do they disagree just because they've always hated those "damned environmentalists"? Not all of Bill's paintings are shocking apocalyptic views of a doomed planet. Things of Worth and How It Was are beautiful scenes of a version of paradise. All The Friends I've Known Had Souls is a self portrait of Bill with many of his friends through the years, including dogs, cats, horses, and Molly the three legged mule deer. Ancestors presents an aboriginal artist doing cave paintings with a surrealistic background of the animals he is illustrating. Many of the paintings are accompanied with poetry by John Haines. Books of his poetry are available by refering to the orders page. At the Ohrmann Museum and Gallery, the visitor can view these and many of his most recent works. Many of his woodcarvings, bronzes and other sculptures are also on display. The yard in front of the museum is graced with several of his welded steel sculptures. Please go to the "PAINTINGS' links on the sidebar to view thumbnails of the paintings. Click on a thumbnail to view a larger image. Those interested in purchasing original works are urged to contact the artist for prices. Reproductions of most of the paintings are available in 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, or 16x20 format; please refer to the ordering page for prices and ordering information. |