Photographer
Fabio Crudele
Jewelry Designer
Sheila Westera
Expressionist Painter
Ruth Maria Lerch
Expressionist Painter
Martin Zemp
Fabio Crudele
The beautiful images of Swiss photographer Fabio Crudele drew me in, the minute I discovered them on facebook. It was on a page about our hometown called “Du bisch vo Luzern, wenn …”, which I visited, when I felt homesick, as I was still living in New York at the time. I started following Fabio’s facebook page - Fabio Crudele Photography - and always felt inspired by the poetic beauty and spirituality of his photos. The posts are always accompanied by interesting texts, that tell the background story about how the moment was captured, what trials and tribulations led up to it, and what feelings sprang up in the heart of the artist from this experience. From these texts I learned how difficult it is - both physically and technically - to produce such outstanding deep sky and Milcky Way photography.
After a while, a transatlantic a friendship
ensued. When I moved back to Lucerne, Fabio Crudele was the first artist I asked to join me for the ISKS adventure. I was overjoyed that he agreed on the spot. He also introduced me to his beautiful soul mate - photographer Elena Frizler - who has become my IT expert and helped me build this amazing website.
(D. P., April 7, 2017)
The extraordinary Swiss photographer, Fabio Crudele says this about his own work:
“Ever since I can remember, I was fascinated by the stars and planets, the galaxies and the cosmos. This great passion led me study astronomy and to attempt to capture the beauty of the night sky with my camera over and over again. In time, I gained more experience, and two main themes emerged: My Deep Sky series shows fascinatingly beautiful objects, some of which are a mere few thousand lightyears away, while others can be millions of light years away. My other work depicts our home galaxy, the Milky Way, in combination with the most beautiful landscapes of mother earth. In all my photography I try to show the awe and fascination I hold for our planet and also for being in general." - Fabio Crudele, March 30. 2017
For more on Fabio Crudele visit his website http://fabiocrudele-photography.com/
Sheila Westera
At the inception of ISKS, I knew immediately, that I wanted to exhibit extraordinary jewelry. Each piece would have to be a small sculpture, a wearable piece of art. Once again I am overjoyed and grateful, for the universe granted my wish, and brought me Sheila Westera. Her handmade masterpieces are precisely what I imagined for ISKS. The London based artist is currently on a creative retreat in a tiny mountain village near Lucerne, and ready for the world premier of her new collection.
In these pieces, the artist finds inspiration 
in nature all around her, in childhood dreams and memories, the cosmos, and of course in the stones themselves. Each piece of jewelry is a completely formidable piece of wearable art, a statement. At the same time, there is nothing gaudy or flashy about it. I feel rather, that it creates a bridge and connects the wearer with mother earth and the cosmos.
(D. P., May 9th, 2017)
Sheila Westera was born Dutch, but has made London her home base. Currently on a long creative hiatus, she is living in the Swiss mountain village of Engelberg, a half an hour from the beautiful city of Lucerne. This is what she says about her own unique collections:
“Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by the many shapes and forms of nature and the cosmos. I studied Architecture and Art History, and then worked in the high-end jewelry industry in Amsterdam.”
“Working with the large raw crystals, precious and semi-precious stones, I am passionate about telling their stories. These narratives are often based on childhood memories and dreams. I also developed my own unique wire bending technique. It is signature to all my pieces. For each stone I build a unique frame or nest, by weaving, webbing and lacing precious wire in an unconventional, almost organic approach, creating unique wearable pieces of art." - Sheila Westera, May 1. 2017
For more on Sheila Westera visit her website https://sheilawestera.com/
Ruth Maria Lerch
Ruth Maria Lerch was born in Schwyz, and studied art and graphic design in Lucerne, Switzerland. For the past 40 years she has worked exclusively as a fine artist. Her work reflects the meditative focus she pours the landscapes, the trees and the people that inhabiting her canvases.
Looking at one of Ruth Maria Lerch’s paintings, a dialogue seems to ensue. I find myself wondering about the people in the canvas. Her 
landscapes become a portal, through which I can drift off into my own dreamscapes.
I am very happy that Ruth Maria Lerch and her daughter, Nadja Lerch (see below) have both agreed to be part of ISKS 2017.
(D.P. May 25. 2017)
This is what Ruth Maria Lerch says about her own work:
“In my portraits, mostly of women, I search for their innermost secrets, their stories, their dreams and their thoughts. Then I pour all these into the painting. I weave them into the canvas with the objects, the clothes and the space that I create around them.”
“I want my work to start a thought process in the viewer. I want them to become curious. I want them to find their own stories, their or truth.”
- Ruth Maria Lerch May 15, 2017
For more about Ruth Maria Lerch go to www.RuthLerch.ch
Martin Zemp
In his oversized, expressionist paintings, the Lucerne artist and architect, Martin Zemp, achieves a perfect balance between the raw and the delicate, the bright and the quiet. His brush strokes are bold, broad and sure. The contrast of the often bright colors combined with black and white, divide the vast canvases into fields of light and dark. The expressions and poses of the mostly female figures with their raw sensuality are mesmerizing and will hold you transfixed.
For all these reasons I am overjoyed to bring you Martin Zemp as one of the ISKS artists in its opening year. Martin Zemp's Solo-Exhibit will be staged from Wednesday, September 13 thorough Sunday September 17, 2017.
(D. P., June 28, 2017)
This is what the Lucerne architect and artist, Martin Zemp, says about his work:
“The love of paper and pencil, colors and canvas, have been part of me since I can remember. Even as a young boy, I portrayed anyone who came into my field of vision. Now, as an adult, art has become not only a means of expression, but also a path for introspection and meditation. 
In the quiet of my studio I can pour out my soul onto my canvases.”
“I love to paint people - mostly woman - who’s sensuality, fragility, beauty and strength I find fascinating. My desire is to pass this vision on to the viewer. I hope that the public can find all this and more in my paintings. This is why I am excited to show my art at ISKS in September 2017.” - Martin Zemp, June 20. 2017
For more on Martin Zemp visit his website http://www.martinzemp.ch/