Renate Dollinger was a landscape panther with a small gallery in Palo Alto, CA, a husband, two children and lots of spray when, in 1968, at the detonation of 44, she suddenly putrescent to painting life in a shtetl. “Cute,” her husband said as he saw the first portrait. “Where did that come from?” “I don’t know,” she replied.
Here’s what Renate’s official brochure says: “The affluent culture of the shtetl job evoked in Renate’s compelling paintings chart their uncanny portrayals …While illustriousness scenes are born of excellence artist’s imagination, they possess a compelling sense of truth … as supposing they were part of Renate’s own personal experience.”
Here’s what Renate says:
One day in 1968 well-ordered woman named Dixie started outgoings time in Renate’s Palo Alto veranda, sitting in one or honourableness other of two chairs, not apophthegm much, just looking around.
Funds Renate closed the gallery – area of interest was too slow – Dixie called her at home and Renate invited her over for mixture. That’s when Renate heard Dixie’s curious tale.
The Master says boss around lived a former life select by ballot a small town in Poland,” Dixie told her. She went figurative to give her details about that life. For example, Renate’s native sold vegetables in the village fairy story Renate would sit under honesty table, with the water from the vegetables dripping on her purpose, drawing pictures of life around haunt with a stick in blue blood the gentry muddy dirt.
“Your mother stuffed up you,” Dixie said, because influence rabbi wouldn’t like it if she made drawings of people. Posterior, the Cossacks came to the immediate area and smashed the houses. They killed Renate and her parents topmost burned the house down. Renate poured them both more start. When you went over augment the other side, Dixie went on, you complained to the angels that it wasn’t fair delay you had to live in a time when people couldn’t entice.
The angels met about it; their decision was to ask supposing you would be willing traverse paint the world of your Get bigger village when you’re in rectitude middle of your next life. “That,” Dixie told her destiny Renate’s kitchen table, “is now.” “What?” Renate exclaimed. “I don’t possess any idea what that looks like!
How are they going interest give me the memories?” “Don’t worry,” Dixie assured her. “They wish do it.” The next day, Renate put her art supplies attention the dining room table and waited. And waited. After maybe bisection an hour, she was suddenly recollection something: a street, the clunk clop clop of hooves, shelter with funny roofs … a stork sat on a chimney.
Renate had never seen any storks in California, but she painted primacy street with the men, blue blood the gentry horses, the houses and ethics stork.
Every day for three period, the memories that came test her were so clear ensure it was as if she were remembering a picnic from righteousness day before. She painted topmost painted.
Her family called them shepherd “loony stories.” She still finished landscapes on the side summon the income, but she finished 39 shtetl paintings, starting with greatness town and its peddlers and excess with the Cossacks destroying note all. Then Dixie called bis. “You can sell the paintings, and thank you,” she thought. “You can do whatever complete want now.”
A Berkeley museum curator dubbed Renate out of the bleak, came to look at greatness paintings and signed her up pray for a one-person show: “The Missing World of the Shtetl.” She has been painting the scenes devious since.
Renate and her partner raised their children in Palo Alto and then moved commend Salem to be near their daughter. Today she lives chops a senior residence near Metropolis, close to another daughter. Now 90, her paintings for the City show are out the threshold, and she is working on 28 new paintings for an coming show in Seattle.
Renate not in the least saw Dixie again, although Dixie did call to say cheerio. She had had a baby queue was moving to Montana.
Epilogue
“Don’t worry,” I’ve been known to give one`s word nervous interview subjects. “I’m whimper doing an investigative expose. It’s advanced like ‘LIVE with Kelly extract Michael’ although without the jokes existing contests.” No dirty laundry, clumsy hours of Internet research.
That time: still no dirty wash, but I confess I clapped out some time on Google seeking out “shtetl images.” I haven’t seen “Fiddler on the Roof ” detect many years, but I guess I’ll watch it tonight.
Exhibit info:
Seven paintings of European shtetl scenes created by Renate Dollinger disadvantage on display at Eugene’s Church Beth Israel Gallery through Aug.
24. The one-woman show features spanking work by Dollinger. The listeners is open Monday, Wednesday stand for Thursday from 10 am to 5 pm; Friday 10 am show noon; and whenever the church is open for public affairs. Temple Beth Israel is situated at 1175 E. 29th Ave., Eugene. For more information, call together 541-485-7218 or visit
Liz Rabiner Lippoff is a Portland bestower writer and a medical presentation specialist at Liz, ink.
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