Blending old and new to create a collision of colours, textures and imagery in a bold layered narrative. The layers represent real life experiences compiled to form stories with universal qualities – "hopeful, motivated and reaffirmed about the positive aspects of life".
Quote: WALTER KNABE
Walter Knabe obtained his Masters Of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin and Bachelor of Fine Arts from Columbia College where he worked with Thomas Hart Benton on the implementation of one of his last murals in Joplin, MO.
As a painter and silk screen artist, Knabe blends new and old using a collision of colours, textures and imagery in a bold, layered narrative. Layers representing real life experiences compiled to form the story, giving Knabe’s work a universal quality – hopeful, motivated and reaffirmed about the positive aspects of life.
He opened his first studio in 1982 as a painter in New York City. Since then Knabe has continually evolved his artwork through different mediums and techniques. An artwork commission for a prominent New York residence was influential in Knabe expanding his practice early on to include hand printed wall coverings. Over the years, Knabe developed his work further to include fabrics, home décor, lifestyle products and licensing of his artwork and design, though at his core, Walter Knabe is an artist, with all applications of his work stemming from his fine art practice.
Over a period of many years he has been a trusted resource for high profile clients, corporations and design firms around the globe. Knabe’s broad and varied projects range from being the official artist of the Indianapolis 500 to custom design work at Harrods department store in London. Amongst his numerous public projects and commissioned works are: Citibank, NY; Indianapolis Artsgarden, IN; Trump Plaza, NY; Michael Graves Architects, Princeton, NJ; Harrods, London; The White House, Washington DC; Walt Disney World, FL. His high-profile collectors include: Michael Jordan; Mr & Mrs George. W. Bush; André Agassi; Richard Gere; Spike Lee; Saul Steinberg; Neil Simon and Dylan Cannon amongst many others.