Local artist's painting nets thousands for Carter Center

McAllen artist Wilma Langhamer did not expect a winning bid as high as the one her painting sold for at the annual Carter Center Winter Weekend auction Feb. 27, at Port St. Lucie, Fla. She originally valued her painting “Messengers of Peace” at $2,500.

But when she was told it sold for $12,500, she was in shock.

“I was excited because we have an economical downturn at the moment, and I donated this painting without a lot of anticipation, so I was very happy and very surprised,” Langhamer said.

The oil on canvas painting depicts planet earth in the middle of a tri-colored sky. Three doves or “Messengers of Peace” soar across the center.

“I made the dark stripe in the middle where the globe is because I think we have a bit of a dark period,” Langhamer said, “I put the light clouds and the light sky on top and bottom because I think that’s where we want to be. The doves are messengers; they’ve always been a symbol for peace.”

The German-born artist has been donating her paintings to the Carter Center for approximately six years.

Raising a total of $1,322,300 at this year’s auction, the nonprofit organization’s Web site says its main focus is to “advance peace and health worldwide.” Her paintings typically have sold for $4,000 and $16,000.

Langhamer’s art has appeared all over the world, including international copies of Readers Digest, the Smithsonian Institution, the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book and McAllen’s own Art Walk. She’s been commissioned by the White House to contribute art to their Easter Egg Roll and National Christmas Pageant of Peace.

Langhamer’s work has been described as “romantic realism” by her late husband Carl Möhner, an actor and artist.

The couple’s paintings cover the walls of her home near Downtown McAllen. She’s lived in the Valley for 30 years, but no one would ever know it. The soft-spoken artist’s thick German accent evokes of her beginnings in Münich.

Before she even bought her first canvas, Langhamer was discouraged by her mother from studying art.

“She did not want a daughter as a starving artist,” Langhamer said. “She experienced two world wars, and in the ‘50s, it was a very rough time in Germany, so that was her main concern, but it happened anyhow without me studying.”

Langhamer began creating oil paintings on her own at age 15. And even though she studied to become a nurse, she continued to practice her craft and became further influenced by Austrian movie star Möhner, her future husband.

Möhner starred in over 40 films throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s. From Italian spaghetti westerns to French noir, the Austrian actor’s most notable films include, the British War film Sink the Bismark and the critically acclaimed crime film Rififi.

Langhamer, who worked as a nurse in a German hospital became friends with Möhner after he had his appendix removed. But Langhamer wasn’t star struck; she was moved by his artwork.  

“I personally was fascinated with the artist, not necessarily with the actor,” Langhammer said. “When I saw his work for the first time I was completely taken with it; it’s very modern work.”

Möhner, who died of Parkinson’s Disease and cancer in 2005, is still a large part of Langhamer’s life. In addition to her canvases of white doves, cloud-filled skies and angelic women, the hallway in her home is devoted to her late husband’s life in the movies. Vintage movie posters and photographs of Möhner alongside actors Sophia Loren and Edward Woodward serve as a reminder of his film work.

She continues to draw inspiration from her past experiences. Recently she’s begun painting a series of photos of women playing musical instruments.

“I used to play the violin when I was younger,” Langhamer said. “I paint women because I am a woman.”

Her most recent work, “Between Clouds,” will be featured Thursday, March 25, at the 39th International Art Show at the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art.

• WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, March 25; art on display through May 1.
• WHERE: Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, 660 E. Ringgold St., Brownsville
• COST: $50
• CALL: (956) 542-0941