Bärbel Michels
Love at first sight.
... was when Bärbel Michels discovered the Old Forester's Lodge in Rehsiepen in the quiet Schmallenberg Sorpe Valley at 600 metres, which was for sale. "I immediately dreamed what could be made of it." 47 years ago, the home care nurse bought the house together with her husband by mail auction - and the two of them never regretted it for a single day. They restored the historic homestead from 1885 with oven and smokehouse to its original state
"Even today I still stand in front of it often in astonishment and rejoice every day in life in and with nature. I could not imagine anything more beautiful."
In portrait
Christiane Kellersmann
Christiane Kellersmann has brought art to Schmallenberg to the city. She certainly didn't expect this when she moved to the city with her family many years ago and later bought the old Lennemühle with her husband. She trained as a pharmaceutical technical assistant and later studied interior design. But then the "kunsthaus Alte Mühle" and the Lenneatelier came "in between". Fortunately, since then she has initiated numerous exciting art projects and exhibitions with international artists, founded the youth art school and made it known in the art scene. Schmallenberg and made it known in the art scene.
It is a paradise on earth
Deer, rabbits, birds, slowworms and fire salamanders love the natural garden with flowers, vegetables and herbs. Below, orchids and cotton grass grow on a wet meadow and are estimated to be around "120 other plant species", says the nature lover. Enthusiastic hikers also stop by the house, because a circular trail of the Sauerland high altitude flight passes directly by the house. Sometimes a little conversation develops there - and when Bärbel Michels has time, she likes to show them the garden and the cosy interiors. In order to preserve the listed ensemble for posterity, she and her husband established a foundation a few years ago. What the guardian of the local heritage so likes about the region is not only the nature, but also the uncomplicated nature of the people. "When I'm in the garden and something comes apart, nobody here looks at me diagonally when I jump into a shop in Schmallenberg in my green work trousers. I find it a great freedom."
Christiane Kellersmann had no experience in the profession. But he had good intuition, curiosity and an eagerness to work. The Kunsthaus opened its doors for the first time in 2002. From the very beginning, Christiane and Carl Kellersmann's aim was to raise the reputation of the house to a certain level. This requires an understanding of art, relationships and a network. "I had to learn a lot along the way. In the past, I could never have imagined talking to artists who exhibit worldwide. But I've grown with my job."
The Kellersmanns traveled to artists and visited them in their studios - and do the same today. Personal contact is important to them, because the time in which an exhibition is created is so close and intense that it has to be right between the two sides. "From the very beginning, I was fascinated by how artists work and live. I realized that: They are simply very different. Creative chaos is definitely part of most of them." Christiane Kellersmann has learned a lot from them, for example from the Meschede Ansgar Nierhoff, one of the most important German steel sculptors. For the 23-kilometre-long WaldSkulputurenWeg between Schmallenberg and Bad Berleburg with installations by internationally renowned artists, he created the 64-ton sculpture "Kein leichtes Spiel" at Rothaarkamm. "He taught me a lot about visual axes. How to hang a work and how to look at it. That changed my own perspective. I even walk through nature in a completely different way since then." To find out more about the artists of the WaldSkulpturenWeg and their works, Christiane Kellersmann organized solo exhibitions with some of them. Another very successful art project was the "Everyday People" exhibition in 2007, in which realistic figures were on display in Schmallenberg town center for three months. "People traveled from far and wide to see 'the new fellow citizens'. Everyone was beaming and laughing, it was really wonderful."
She is not only interested in names or titles, Sondern above all in the artistic personality behind a work. That's why exciting artists from the region are also given a platform. She often brings together two artists from different fields, who then stage an overall experience, e.g. consisting of paintings and installations. "We want to show modern, contemporary art. Art is not elitist. The worst sentence for me is: I don't understand anything about art. Everyone feels and senses something different when they look at a picture!" You can sense that the gallery is Christiane Kellersmann 's life's work. But her heart beats especially for her work with children and young people. When the German government announced an EU project in 2005 to build young people's self-esteem through art, she applied. "After that, I just kept going with it. It was so fascinating for me to see how they grew internally. They also became a source of inspiration for me." The "Springboard" studio evolved into the youth art school, which is run by Beate Hermann. Even the very youngest children get involved here, while other participants are over 20 years old. As part of the art education program Werden, they are guided through the exhibitions at the Kunsthaus and also have contact with the artists. The young people can then realize their own ideas in the former spinning mill of the FALKE factory. There are rooms for sculpture, architecture, film and photography, a sewing workshop - and a shared kitchen for exchanging ideas. And this is particularly important to Christiane Kellersmann. Many new ideas and projects are already buzzing around in her head. And, as always, she will put her heart and soul into creating a special experience for visitors.
Art & Culture
Land. Love. Lifestyle.
Country. Love. Lifestyle. - This is what the Schmallenberg Sauerland. The latter is made clear by the lively art and culture scene in our region. A wide variety of artists, different perspectives, galleries worth seeing, diverse cultural offerings. But see for yourself.