Waldemar Kuhn – World Renowned Sculptor
The Artist as a Young Man
Sweet Smoke’s plan to conquer Europe hinged on settling in Amsterdam. We knew the Dutch city was a haven for young people from all over the world so it seemed like the place to stake our claim. The Dutch border police had other ideas. It was, after all, late 1969 and by then the Dutch government had seen enough aimless, moneyless hippies wandering the streets of its cities. We were turned away at the border. Without a “Plan B” we retreated to the nearest town on the German side of the border to ponder our next move. At the local post office we were making one frantic phone call after another when in walked a large, striking man with a shock of long salt and pepper hair and a twinkle in his eye – Waldemar Kuhn.
Mentor, Inspiration, Father Figure and Friend
The Artist Today
Thus began a relationship that has spanned 4 decades. I couldn’t begin to adequately describe what Kuhn meant to us. With his help we found a house to live in, a manager, our earliest gigs in Germany, the generosity and friendship of his entire family and so much more. Kuhn still lives in Bavaria but advanced age has claimed his trademark vitality. His work, however, remains ageless.
