Katja Lührs
Born in: Germany
Media: Oil painting and digital art
Describe your art in three words: Wonder World Nature
The motto for your paintings: "Save the earth
Presenter: for the TV stations: ZDF - ARD - RTL - SAT 1 - ORF
Fashion and jewelry design: Katja Lührs Design
Author of the books: Viva Veggie and Smoothie Fit
Exhibitions Art:
ARTHOUSE Munich - ARTBOX World 1.0 - The Hub Munich – ARTBOX Basel - Barcelona – Madrid - Galerie Azur Brussel – London - ART MUC Munich - Discovery Artfair Frankfurt - ARTe Wiesbaden - ARTBOX Zurich - Miami Artweeks U.S.A. - Lelie Galerij Amsterdam Netherlands - Casa Del Arte Palma Spain - Thomson Gallery Zug Switzerland - Los Angeles ART LAB U.S.A. - Johnathan Schultz Gallery Miami U.S.A.-. Las Vegas - Biennale Venezia Italy -Las Vegas - NewYork Artweeks U.S.A. – Hongkong - Tokyo Tower Art Fair
Awards:
ITSLiquid Group (ITS) Artist of the year 2022/2024 – Winner Museum oft he Americas U.S.A. 2024 and The Premier Artist Prize 2024 – Global Art Virtuosu Elite Artistic Award 2024 - Finalist Circle Arts 2023 – Winner Global Future of Art 2024 - Harmony for Humanity the Global Consciousness Art Prize 2023 – Winner Collectors Art Prize Planet Future 2023 – Artbox World Winner 2020 – 2021 – 2022 with the painting „Color Sound – Summerdreams – Save the Earth – Blue Night Fog – Rainbow and Moments - The Premier Artist Prize 2024 – 2 Covers in the HIDDEN TALENTS ART MAGAZINE 2024/2025 and 2 Covers in the ARTMagazine „ARTPROFIL“ November 2020 and August 2023 and Cover Curator Art Magazine 2025 and Cover Spotlight Circle Art Magazine 2025 and Cover Artist Journey Magazine 2025
Statement:
The variety of colors and shapes of flowers, trees and leaves has fascinated me since I was a child. The power of the sun and its play with light and shadow in nature are characterized by: "grace - joy of life - confidence - peace and serenity". With pictures you can capture the beauties of nature. Because what you love, you also protect. That's why my motto for my pictures is: "Save the earth".
Katja, how did your love for art beginning?
Since my childhood, I have often enjoyed painting alongside my sporting activities. My paternal grandmother was a gifted painter and not only painted great oil paintings in her life, but also kept the family afloat with her art during the war. Personally, she taught me a lot of positive things about recognizing the beauty of nature, treating it with care and loving it. I have many of my grandmother Mary Lührs' paintings hanging in my house.
What made you want to create your first artworks?
I can't say exactly when I painted my first picture, because as far back as I can remember, I've always been a passionate painter.
As already mentioned, I have been fascinated by the variety of colors and shapes of flowers, trees and leaves since my youth. The power of the sun and its play with light and shadow in nature are characterized by: “grace - joie de vivre - confidence - peace and serenity”. The beauty of nature can be captured in pictures. Because what you love, you also protect. That's why my motto for my pictures is: “Save the earth”.
You often say "Save the Earth" is your mission. How do you think art can help protect nature and the environment?
Yes, but I also have another mission that involves the subject, and that is about the incredibly diverse, unique animal world. Saving the planet should be just as much a topic in schools as healthy eating. Sport has long been a blank slate here in Germany and healthy eating is just as much a part of it and, of course, in times of global climate change, animal, nature and environmental protection too. If I can make my contribution as an artist, then I should use this creative power to do something positive in this sense. I have been a vegetarian since I was 30 in order to protect nature.
You mentioned artists like Georgia O'Keeffe, Claude Monet, and Henri Rousseau. How have these artists inspired your work?
My books include many books by these unique artists, who not only created breathtakingly beautiful works of art from nature, but also have a recognizable, colorful visual language.
Your grandfather taught you a lot about nature. How did your family and childhood experiences influence your art?
My maternal grandfather and my aforementioned grandmother, Mary, taught me a great deal about animal welfare, the environment, and nature conservation. My grandmother opened my eyes to art, and my grandfather explained herbs and plants to me. He lived with them himself, and they appeared on his table every day. He was a Russian prisoner of war for five years and survived those terrible years only because he was very knowledgeable about plants and herbs and ate them during those difficult times. My grandfather and grandmother were my personal heroes, and that remains true to this day! Both have had a lasting and positive impact on my life.
You showed your art in many countries. What reaction from people touched your heart the most?
When people tell me that they can meditate wonderfully when they look at my pictures. The delicate lines of the leaves and blossoms and the bright colors inspire them. And when art lovers tell me that they forget their everyday worries for a moment. Or that the color compositions, the play of light and shadow, impress them and allow them to be completely in the here and now. These are reactions that make me very happy! In a conversation like the one I'm having with you now, I can talk about animals and nature conservation. For me, this is an important reason why I paint.
Your art is full of strong colors, light, and nature’s forms. How do you decide on the colors and style of each artwork?
I go out into nature and paint and sketch everything that I like and that fascinates me. The colors are often so vibrant that I can only capture them at home, sitting or standing in front of the canvas, by repeatedly mixing different oil paints. I usually have my camera with me, which has served me faithfully for decades and allows me to capture the natural colors in my oil paintings even more precisely.
You also wrote vegan books and worked with animal protection groups. How does this work connect with your art?
For my books "Viva Veggie" and "Smoothie Fit," I worked closely with the amazing artist Kai Klimiont, who portrays the animal world in all its facets particularly well. I've also been working with various nature and animal welfare organizations for around 25 years. I've been working with PETA (the world's largest animal rights organization) since I was a teenager. Together with PetaKids, we've published many animal and environmental stories. I think it's particularly important to raise awareness among children and young people about climate change and species extinction, and to make them aware of how important it is to protect this unique planet Earth, our home, and to treat it with respect and love. The Earth doesn't belong to us; we are merely temporary guests and should behave accordingly.
Your paintings speak about beauty and peace but also about serious problems in nature. How do you balance these two sides in your work?
You're right: I try to reflect the beauty of nature in my paintings, because what you love, you also protect. When our actions are characterized by love, and we recognize this and integrate it into our everyday lives, we receive much love, peace, and beauty in return. There are very good and apt proverbs around the world that describe our path in life, such as: "As you shout into the forest, so it will echo back." It also means: "This proverb can be applied to many situations in everyday life to illustrate that our behavior influences our environment, the people, animals, and nature around us. It also shows how the dynamics of our actions and words shape not only our own lives but also our relationships. Another very international proverb: "As you sow, so you reap." We have exploited nature and animals for decades, and the result is where we are today. Back to your question: How do I reconcile beauty and peace with the state of nature? Because I've been very fortunate in my career, I donate the money I earn from my art to children's, animal, and nature conservation organizations. This completes the circle.
What new projects or ideas are you excited about now? Is there anything special you want to create in the future?
We are currently working on several publications in art magazines and a third book on vegetarian nutrition, as well as a children's book on animal welfare and environmental protection. Finally, I would like to thank you and your team for the important and interesting questions.