Painting project in the Weßlinger Seehäusl with Rita Mühlbauer: therapeutic and connecting
Weßling
– Every two weeks, the Seehäusl of the NBH Weßling is transformed into an artistic meeting place. When brushstrokes and color palette count more than words, the conviction lives: “Wherever there is art, there is also peace.” This sentence comes from Saeid. The Iranian lives with his wife Elnaz in Weßling and regularly takes part in the painting meetings in the Seehäusl that Ulrike Roos from the NBH cultural association organizes. Now the artists were assisted by Rita Mühlbauer - a painter and illustrator whose work, such as the postcards for the environmental project “Hofpfisterei protects nature”, is known to many. Arletta, a Polish woman who works at the Domenikus Ringeisen factory in Breitbrunn – a facility for people with disabilities – brought one of her patients with her to the meeting. As soon as the patient has pen and paper in her hand, she immerses herself in drawing. Ulrike Roos, who observes these moments, sees this as impressive evidence that art can not only be a means of communication, but also has therapeutic value.
Ilse Kirner is 95 years old and an old hand as a painter - a passion from which she does not let her certified "medical blindness", as she puts it, stop her. At her side, grandson Sebastian (29) draws a portrait of his grandmother. Saeid supports the old lady when needed, carefully selecting the right brushes and navigating her through the shades of green and yellow in the paint box. Colors that ultimately bring the dandelion meadow to life on its leaf. In return, the former teacher teaches the engineer, who works in online marketing, the intricacies of the German language.
Saeid put Rita Mühlbauer's portrait on paper - a true masterpiece. The painter helps him master the techniques of watercolor painting, particularly the lifelike depiction of skin tones. “I’m not judging, I’m just offering suggestions,” she emphasizes. When asked whether the painting style reflects cultural differences, she remains thoughtful. Saeid, however, sees the matter pragmatically: “Art is art, and beauty knows no boundaries.” In his homeland, art is an integral part of everyday life, the couple emphasizes. “We even decorate the yogurt on the dining table with wreaths and flowers,” Elnaz gives an example. Then she bends over her picture again. In a world currently marked by differences and conflicts, Saeid, Elnaz, Ilse and the other participants remind us that harmony and understanding are possible - through the universal language of art.
Michele Kirner