Kahlau Thomas

In 1976, Thomas was at high school and he had a swimming accident that left him with paraplegia and complete paralysis. From 1978 onwards, he began to teach himself how to perform many tasks using his mouth, including his first experiments with painting. During 1978 and 1979, he received private tuition at home in various school subjects, after which he completed a one-year painting and drawing course under the guidance of a painter and art teacher.

In 1986, Kahlau was awarded a scholarship by the Association, enabling him to focus intensively on developing his artistic skills. He became an Associate Member of the VDMFK in 1992 and was promoted to Full Member just three years later. In July 2013, he was elected to the VDMFK board at its General Meeting in Vienna.

The landscapes of Thomas' native Brandenburg in Germany are a recurring theme in his work, which also features buildings and figures, rendered in oil, watercolour, and acrylic. His paintings, noted for their expressive quality, have been exhibited widely in solo shows across Germany and also internationally.

Throughout his career, Thomas has earned significant recognition for his artistic achievements.He reached a major milestone on 10 October 2000, when he was awarded the prestigious German Distinguished Service Cross by the President of Germany, honouring both his artistic accomplishments and his social engagement.

In addition to his work as a painter, Thomas is also an author. He has published his life story in the book called Die Kraft in mir (The Strength in Me).