Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1283918
118 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 2 0 H ansen is also acclaimed for his paintings of the sea, but while William Ritschel concentrated on the ocean itself, this painter is famous for incorporating human activities, such as fishermen, in his compositions. "Hansen had friends among both avant-garde and traditional painters," Turner says. "He had one foot in both camps. That's what I love about his work." Trotter adds that Hansen was known as "The Homer of the West" for his visual interpreta- tions of man vs. the sea and "The Rembrandt of the West" for the quality of his etchings. Ritschel recognized the 32-year-old Hansen's obvious talent and arranged a show in a New York gallery for him. "The show opened up a market for the "rough-hewn character from California," Paula Trotter says. The painter was a big man, 6'4", 250 pounds, with hands the size of lunchboxes and an outsized personality to match. "His paintings were as bold as he was. They were described as 'pure virility,'" Turner adds. "He was the dean of the local art community for the first half of the 20th century," Trotter says, "not only for his work, but as a teacher and mentor. He was a natural teacher and was highly regarded among his peers." As did many of his contemporaries, Hansen felt he owed it to the next generation to pass on his knowledge. Armin Hansen (1886-1957) Armin Hansen, "Stranded," circa 1920 Collection of Paula and Terry Trotter, Trotter Galleries, Inc.