Klaus Ihlenfeld passed away peacefully on April 15 at his home in Barto, PA, at age 92. Born in Berlin, Germany, he was the son of Kurt and Anni (Stuhlmann) 

Ihlenfeld. He is renowned for welding bronze, brass, and forged iron sculptures, and also for his watercolors.

            In 1950, Klaus studied art at the Hochschule Fur Bildende Kunste in West Berlin and continued with graduate work under noted sculptor Hans Uhlmann.

            He immigrated to Barto, PA in 1957 and was introduced to Harry Bertoia, famous for his Knoll chairs and Sonambient sound sculptures. Ihlenfeld soon began working with Bertoia in his Bally studio, leading to a lifelong collaboration and close friendship.

            In 1962, Ihlenfeld joined the Staempfli Gallery in New York City and later

participated in many other solo and group exhibitions at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of Art in NYC, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, the Huntington Museum of Art in WV, the Allentown Museum of Art, the Reading Public Museum, and the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center in PA. He also served as Artist-in-Residence at Penn State University and other universities throughout the United States.

            Major commissions of Ihlenfeld's large-scale works include installations at the Emigrant Savings Bank in NYC, Fairmont Park in Philadelphia, and at Kutztown and Shippensburg Universities in PA. His sculptures are featured in many prominent public and private collections throughout the world.

            His father Kurt Ihlenfeld was a Lutheran Minister and authored numerous books. His late sister, Christa, was a concert pianist, and her husband, Heinz Ortleb, was a violinist with the Berlin Philharmonic. He is survived by his wife Patricia (Lambert); 4 children, Paul, Naomi (Jeffrey), Phillip, and Douglas (Susanna); his brother Bertram (Monique); his nephew Benjamin (Linda) Ortleb; granddaughter Alexandra and grandson Jordan.

            A Memorial Service was held privately and a Celebration of his Life will follow.

            In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his honor to the Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Road, Reading, PA 19611, (610) 371-5850.