Vita

Ministerial Director a. D. Jörg Alter, from Kiel writes about the marine painter Andreas Kruse:

As captain of a merchant ship, I would immediately include Andreas Kruse in my crew. In terms of appearance, he fits perfectly into the stereotype of a sailor. Big and strong, he comes with an earring and a sailor trouser and his East Frisian homeland gives the impression of a fisherman rather than a sensitive artist. But, as is so often the case, the external image is deceptive. His imagery is delicate and sensitive and is characterized by a great love for the sea and for seafaring. Born in 1965 behind the dike of the ems in Jemgum, East Frisia, he was fascinated by the river and shipping from an early age on. His father recognized the boy’s talent early on and gave him a watercolor painting box, which then became the cornerstone of his artistic career. Andreas Kruse acquired all painting techniques by himself and is thus able to depict coastlines, harbors and ships in such a filigree manner that an almost photographic impression is created. But that would not be enough for a painter and artist with these skills. The depiction of the most varied moods of the sea, the artistic emphasis on maritime details that stimulate the imagination, all this conveys his keen sense for the essentials. In marine painting, the viewer must be able to feel the wind, the water and the prevailing weather, the ship must be a living being and not just an object made of steel and rope. If you look at the artist’s works, you will immediately believe that he steps over the planks of the ship at the East Frisian ports or set sail with a fishing cutter from time to time.

In the meantime, he has given up his commercial profession completely and is now devoting himself exclusively to marine painting, with growing success.

In numerous exhibitions outside of his East Frisian homeland, for example at the Sail Bremerhaven, at the Kieler Woche, at the Laboer Naval Memorial, at the Wilhelmshaven naval base, at the Kehdinger Coastal Maritime Museum et cetera. Andreas Kruse has shown that he is now one of the best contemporary marine painters.

The range of his works is wide. The representation of ships from all epochs of merchant ships and the German Navy is one side, coasts, ports and the sea in all its moods is the other side. So it is not surprising that his works have found their lovers all over the world, in museums, shipping companies, shipyards, on board German naval ships and also in numerous private collections.