‘It’s Like a Father Come to His Child, Yes?’ : Police Seize Paintings, Return Them to Artist

Los Angeles police have served a search warrant on a Granada Hills home and seized more than 50 paintings, drawings and lithographs that an artist claims belong to him.

The artist, Helmut Preiss, 44, formerly of Vienna, who now lives in West Hollywood, told authorities that the works were being illegally held by a man who had contracted to sell them but never paid him any money.

Preiss told the police he gave his artwork to Heywood Hunter, 60, of Granada Hills in November, 1984, after Hunter offered to market and sell his work. He said that Hunter failed to pay him and repeatedly refused to return the artworks.

Police officers on Thursday searched Hunter’s home the 12000 block of Highwater Road in Granada Hills and found 37 of Preiss’ framed oil paintings and several dozen of his drawings and lithographs, Detective Michael Moen said.

Artist Feels ‘Wonderful’

Moen said 95% of Preiss’ paintings were recovered and returned to the artist. Preiss said Friday it feels “wonderful” to have his paintings back.

“It’s a great feeling. It’s the art work of three years,” Preiss said in broken English in a telephone interview. “Pictures are like childs. It’s like a father come to his child, yes? They are childs for me. I have my childs back.”

Police said they are seeking Hunter, who reportedly was out of state. He could not be reached for comment.

According to a sworn statement filed by Moen in Van Nuys Municipal Court seeking permission to search Hunter’s residence, Preiss moved to the United States from Vienna in October, 1984, and met the 60-year-old Granada Hills man a few weeks later.

Moen’s affidavit said that, in November, 1984, Preiss and Hunter entered into a written contract under which Hunter would pay Preiss $100,000 from an investment syndicate and 50% of the proceeds from sale of his art in exchange for exclusive rights to sell Preiss’ paintings in the United States.

Shown 10 Checks

Hunter showed Preiss 10 checks for $10,000 each, but said he had to deposit them in the syndicate’s account before issuing checks to Preiss, the affidavit said.

Preiss gave Hunter about 40 oil paintings and many lithographs and drawings, and agreed to give Hunter exclusive right to sell all paintings by Preiss for the succeeding seven years, the affidavit said. The contract was to be void if the syndicate failed to sell 20 units of Preiss’s work by May 15, 1985, the affidavit said.

In December, 1984, when Preiss returned to Hunter’s home and asked for payment, Hunter allegedly told Preiss that the syndicate was not yet completed. At Hunter’s request, Preiss returned to Vienna, leaving the paintings with Hunter, who promised to come to Vienna with $100,000 in early 1985, the affidavit said.

Ignored His Requests

When Hunter failed to pay Preiss by April, 1985, the artist returned to Granada Hills and made repeated requests for the paintings, but was told by Hunter that the paintings were scattered between Hawaii, Santa Barbara and Granada Hills, the affidavit alleged. Hunter allegedly ignored repeated oral and written requests to return the property, and on Monday Preiss went to the Los Angeles police, Moen said.

Preiss placed the value of his paintings, which he described as surrealistic, at more than $2 million.