By permission of the artist, The Cyber Art Show is pleased to feature the first of two 12-piece exhibitions of works by American landscape painter Christian Hemme (born 1988 in Hamelin, Lower Saxony, Germany).

Christian was twelve years old when he began training under professional artist and illustrator Marit Guild, learning the foundations of classical, representational art. Marit recommended that he continue his education at her Alma Mater, Pensacola Christian College, under the tutelage of Society of Illustrators member Mr. Brian Jekel—which is exactly what he did, graduating summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Science degree in visual arts with a concentration in commercial art. Christian has worked as a studio artist since that time.

Christian’s artistic influences include great past American, Russian, and European masters including John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn, William Bouguereau, and Ilya Repin, as well as contemporary masters such as Richard Schmid, Mian Situ, Scott Christensen, and Daniel Gerhartz.

As an artist working on the Florida Gulf Coast, he is especially drawn to the maritime landscapes inherent to that geographical area: coastal scenes of the bays, inlets, and beaches, as well as the working boats that come into the Port of Pensacola and nearby marinas. The behemoths of the petroleum industry are rather unique subjects; collectors have responded positively to their massive, complex aesthetic. Christian also finds narrative figurative compositions incredibly compelling, and his forays into the genre have won national awards as well as inspired collectors around the country to add these pieces to their collections.

Christian's association memberships include the Oil Painters of America, the American Society of Marine Artists, and the American Impressionist Society. He is currently represented by Cutter and Cutter Fine Art Galleries in St. Augustine, FL, and has paintings in private collections throughout the United States and abroad.