Herbert Felic Hofer was born in Wiener Neustadt, Austria in 1946. He began studying interior architecture at the University of Vienna. Once he completed his studies, he began working for a German department store as an interior designer. His work here was brief but he was very successful at what he did. Many believe that Hofer’s sense of adventure could not be satisfied without traveling. He traveled throughout Europe, and Africa extensively. Ultimately he established himself in Rome, Italy. He remained there for 20 years and befriended the well known film director Frederico Fellini, who gave him his first introduction to acting. Hofer’s voyages continued and he visited many extraordinary locations, and embraced many of the local customs. It is said that his experiences in travels is where he drew much of his inspiration for his paintings. His painting style combines very elaborate design and colors, which give his works a distinct feeling of refinement with a touch of fantasy. He is self described as “the primitive Austrian” and his work as “modern primitives”. In 1984, his world renowned work titled Search for Paradise earned him the United Nations Peace Prize.