The show features 41 paintings created between 2020 and 2025, depicting landscapes and wildlife from Minnesota, Europe, and remote northern regions.

Hillmann, 82, uses a mixed-media technique that begins with acrylics and is layered with oils. He often paints late at night while caring for his wife, Karen, who experiences long COVID and vertigo.

The exhibition includes wildlife subjects, including Chinook, a cougar Hillmann raised for 17 years with permission from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Hillmann said he helped provide food for Chinook, including roadkill supplied by local authorities. 

“Chinook was part of my life for nearly two decades,” Hillmann said. “Observing her behavior informed how I paint movement and posture in wildlife subjects.”

Artist Bernd Hillmann (center) stands with granddaughters Brittany Hennessey (left) and Angelica Kinney (right) at his 41-painting exhibition, surrounded by landscapes featuring polar bears, autumn forests, and seasonal scenes.  (Photo by Amy Zents)

Hillmann trained at the University of Bremen, earning a Master of Fine Arts with majors in painting, sculpture, and commercial art. He completed a Teacher of Arts diploma at the University of Oldenburg in 1967 and later taught at Warstade College near Hamburg before moving to Minnesota in 1988, where he has lived for 37 years. 

His father, Georg Hillmann, was a painter; his mother, a poet; and his aunt, a sculptor. 

“Growing up in a creative family, art was always part of daily life,” Hillmann said.

Travel has influenced Hillmann’s work. He spent years in Scotland guiding hunting and fishing expeditions on private estates. 

“In Scotland, guiding was about observing the land and wildlife carefully,” he said. “You see how animals move, where they rest, and how light changes across the hills.” 

Bernd Hillmann with a selection of his works showcasing his range from loose, expressive wildlife studies to detailed landscape paintings. ( Photo by Amy Zents)

Hillmann also traveled through England, Spain, North Africa, Nunavut, and islands near the Arctic Ocean. In France, he painted the last remaining wild horses of the Camargue, relying on memory rather than photography.

Other works in the exhibition are inspired by locations such as Baffin Island, Canada; Lake Ohio Woods; South Dakota; Scotland; Norway Valley; and remote lakes and forests across Minnesota. 

Titles include “Baffin Island Sunrise” (2023), “Lake Ohio Woods” (2021), “Norway Valley Winter” (2024), and “Camargue Wild Horses” (2020). 

Hillmann said the works reflect both direct observation and memory.

“Memory allows me to combine different moments into one composition,” he said.

A visitor contemplates one of Hillmann's forest interior paintings at Four Pillars Gallery, which captures golden light filtering through dark tree trunks—an example of the artist's talent for rendering atmospheric light effects

Hillmann describes himself as a romantic impressionist. 

“I try to capture not just what I see but what I remember feeling in the landscape,” he said. “The brushstrokes are part of that process, showing movement, light, and time.”

Grandchildren Brittany Hennessey and Angelica Kinney said Hillmann’s work reflects the environments they experienced as children. 

“When I look at his work, it takes me back to places I’ve been in the woods,” Hennessey said. “Light is healing. You feel it in a way that reminds you of being outdoors.” 

Kinney added, “It’s familiar. You can see where we spent time in the water or walking through the trees. It’s a record of our family history in nature.”

Gallery-goers explore the Four Pillars Gallery exhibition space, which showcases Hillmann's diverse collection of 41 paintings including wildlife studies, waterfalls, coastal scenes, and dramatic landscapes. (Photo by Amy Zents)

Hennessey also said Hillmann encourages attention to detail. “He’s always pointing out shadows on leaves, reflections on water. That’s what you see in his paintings, attention to detail.”

Tom Schmitz, a visitor to the gallery, said of the exhibition, “I like the realism and the naturalism. The cougar painting’s beautiful.”

The 41 paintings on display are priced between approximately $1,350 and $4,500, with most ranging from $1,500 to $2,500. 

Most pieces are classified as mixed media or oil paintings. 

“Pricing is based on size and complexity,” Hillmann said. “Each painting represents hours of work and careful observation.”

Gallery director John Kellen said Hillmann’s work has developed over decades and emphasizes technique, perspective, and observation of wildlife and landscapes. 

“Visitors are able to engage with landscapes and wildlife in a way that reflects Hillmann’s years of study and direct experience,” Kellen said. “He combines travel, observation, and memory in a way few artists do. The level of detail and care is evident in every piece.”

Hillmann continues to teach adult painting classes at The Grand, focusing on technical skills and individual artistic development. 

“I enjoy helping students see what is already in their mind,” he said. “Technique is important, but observation and memory are what make their work unique.” 

He has avoided television and personal phones for decades, citing the need for solitude and focus. 

“I find animals more reliable than people,” he said. “They follow predictable patterns and allow for consistent observation.”

In addition to Minnesota landscapes, Hillmann draws inspiration from European and Arctic regions, including polar environments and historical wildlife habitats.