A leopard peers out of lush green foliage – its blue eyes beaming. Nadine painted this image and she wants to make a stance with it. Big cats, animals endangered by extinction, fascinate Nadine. She paints them so they are not forgotten. This also applies to dinosaurs and dangerous animals in general. “Not just the nice ones.” says Klaus Sievers. He accompanies Nadine and watches how she develops her view of the world also through painting. Nadine already decided to be an artist, years back – quite naturally, as did Sidney.
At Studio 111 in Düsseldorf-Unterrath art emerges naturally: without pretence, in its own way. Nadine’s leopard looks at you as if it was the observer.
Sidney, for his part, chose milk as a motif. Seven or eight cartons of it stacked side by side, on top of each other – a motif that repeats itself but does not become boring. Those familiar with Warhol will immediately be reminded of this style. Sidney saw the cartons in the workshop and started painting. Serial art, a product of the daily life in the space he moves in.
The artist Klaus Sievers spent a long time working with children and youngsters on creative projects for the Department of Culture. When he was asked if he would like to accompany people at Studio 111 he agreed – and has worked there for two years now. What moves him is what he sees there: people who cannot speak but have to paint. “They have to do it,” explains Sievers. He has an academic background, knows the techniques, the background and the history. But here he works with people who create out of themselves – and time and again he comes across talents that surprise him. Like Nadine, for instance: she thinks in big formats. He does the preliminary sketches needed for such big paintings with her, but where it takes them – she decides.
Gabi Luigs works as a curator and artist with Klaus Sievers, Conny Hellfeier and Mario Weinberg at Studio 111. She is also a board member of “the pool” art society and has now initiated an exhibition. Luigs experiences how art stimulates the brain – and what happens when one person works with another: “Something new, different is emerging all the time.”
“Studio111” has been around since 1994. It forms part of “Haus St. Josef” under the roof of the Teutonic Order – where Sidney lives. He always takes the initiative to try out something new. This is what this place is all about: free space that offers opportunities – and makes observers marvel at the outcome. Today, one of these paintings graces the office of Düsseldorf’s Mayor Clara Gerlach. “But these paintings would also fit any major law office. And it would not take courage,” says Klaus Sievers.
Studio 111 at REHACARE 2026
Works of 111 can be seen at REHACARE in Hall 7, Stand B09.
Studio 111, Haus St. Josef, Düsseldorf-Unterrath – works are for sale, revenue goes to projects for residents. behindertenhilfe-einrichtung.de
