European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 11, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                American artists German gallery is us sch Mattlar by  Runquist staff writer Karen Robert Pitts was depressed by the wet dreary skies during her first Winter in West Germany. She turned to brightly coloured paints for Comfort. Frustrated by a Job that neglected his artistic experience Roger Price also sought Relief in Art working in his studio late into the night. The results of their creative efforts Are on display at the Birger centrum in Karben West Germany. It s the first showing by americans at the Hall a unique combination of Robert Pitt s colourful surrealistic paintings and Price s More  collages. The paintings in Robert Pitts umbrella series which Mirror her progression from a Novice to an experienced innovative artist Are some of the most intriguing works in the exhibit. Homesick and depressed by the Rainy weather when she and her husband arrived in Germany in 1983, Robert Pitts says she bought several umbrellas one for every color outfit i  later she decided to make the umbrellas the focal Point of her paintings they seemed to me to be a Symbol of Protection against the weather and the foreign ways she says. Her earliest umbrella paintings such As umbrellas in the Woods show figures shrouded in umbrellas battered by wind and rain. Her latest a self portrait Roger a Price lop photo with hit Norm Jean collage and Karen Robert Pitts with a painting titled a Man becoming a cat both displayed at the gallery in Karben. West Germany. Shows an umbrella cast to the Side an indication of her feeling of acceptance in both the German and artistic communities she explains. A resident of Nieder Wollstadt a Small town North of Frankfurt Robert Pitts says she Learned German mostly by hanging out at a lot of German  so then enrolled in Art classes at the German Volks Hochschulz and also took self study courses at Home. Most of her studies focused on the impressionists particularly Vincent Van Gogh and the exhibit includes two of her studies of his works. Meeting other German and american artists has also really helped me to open up says Robert Pitts. I met american artist Mark Moore the manager of Giessen arts and crafts Center two years ago. He taught me some new painting techniques and also encouraged me to exhibit my works in  Robert Pitts participated in a German american Art exhibit at the Kloster Arnsburg last summer. The managers of a guest House in Nieder Wollstadt saw her work there and later asked her to paint a mural. The unveiling of the mural at the restaurant was really exciting. I made lots of new friends and i Felt As though the town had sort of adopted me As their town artist she says. The Bright colors innovative techniques and emotional themes of Robert Pitt s recent paintings in the exhibit such As the House of being and becoming show How far she has come. I am not a Hobby Painter. Painting is my passion says Robert Pitts who Hopes to study at the Art school of the German state museum. The collages created by Price Are intense a reflection of his own artistic development from a skillful but bored drawer to a serious artist. Price who began painting at the age of 7, was frustrated by his first Job in Germany the non commissioned officer in charge of a facility Engineer site in Butzbach. He is a graduate of a commercial arts program at Central Texas College and an experienced graphic artist and he wanted More creative opportunities. Freelance Art work for publications like fur army and for the Giessen military Community was t enough. That kind of work military drawings and prints was too easy says Price who now works As an Illustrator for the army corps of engineers european division. I was looking for something More challenging More  the answer came from scraps of cardboard Glass newspapers Wood chips and other materials As Price began to focus on a new medium collages. I did t set out with a certain idea in mind of How these collages should look he explains. Ideas would just come to me As i worked  his fallen Flower is an interesting example. Price bought some roses for his wife one Day and when the petals began to fall to the table he grabbed the idea. He applied the Rose petals to a background of newspaper leaves and acrylic paint creating a soft mixed Art form. Price is a fan of Andy Warhol Jackson Pollock and Salvador Dali and Many of his collages show their influence. His Norma Leane collages Are reminiscent of Warhol s Marilyn Monroe series and his Malcolm x collage shows Dali s tendency to use multiple mediums. Price also knows and has Learned from Giessen artist Moore. He Learned the technique of the Xerox Transfer which he combined with his own techniques. For his broken class collage for example he transferred a Xerox onto Glass and then cracked it to create More dimension. Price s favorite work at the exhibition fam slam is an Xerox Transfer collage that shows the figure of Martin Luther King reflected behind images of famine. I am not a political artist Price explains but i Hope that people will look at my works like this and respond in some  Price sees his collages As a Way to relieve everyday pressures. Doing this Type of Art work i really feel a release. It s like an intense migraine headache that slowly subsides he says. Price also feels that he has expanded creatively since being in Europe. There s a lot of networking a lot of sharing of ideas he says. Price Hopes that one Day he and his wife will open a graphics company in the states. In the meantime he plans to keep searching for new techniques and new materials to use in his collages. Tha  at tha Buzga Tantrum Rena through Jan. 29. It to Opan monday irom 8 . To noon and if of 2 to 8 . The Houra to Gaoay through Friday aia b . To noon. Admin Hon Fita. Karo an to a Wmk fan Kurt and fan Otwe. On autobahn 5. Taka a  in  an follow Highway b3 Aoun to Karban. 70 if Ipei of Trine january 11, 1990