Artist Name:
Geoffrey Witte

Reference Number:
148

• 1962 - 1964 Slade School Of Fine Art University College London.
• 1965 - Canada, visiting lecturer, Queens University, Kingston - Ontario.
• 1965 - 1968 - USA, New York assistant to the Director Ivan Karp, Leo Casttelli gallery representing and working with many of the most influential artists at the time including Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Rosenquist, and many more. Meet with Marcel Dauchamp, John Cage and many musicians, composers and photographers.
• 1965 - 1969 - During non - gallery season set designer to Bert Stern Inc. & Libra film productions in both still and movie sets.
• 1970 - London - England. Full time visiting lecturer in many universities in England including, University College London, Goldsmiths London University and the University of Leicester.
• 1970 - Over this period worked closely with Larry Rivers - based in New York City.
• 1973 - Continued lecturing - own work - and built ocean cruising yatch in Cornwall, England.
• 1973 - Bristol - England. Associate and advisor within the S.P.A.B - (Society for the protection of ancient buildings and monuments) founded by William Morris - organize touring exhibition - and carry out several projects in the repair of listed medieval buildings.
• 1973 - 1975 - Auckland New Zealand. Exhibitions officer for the New Zealand arts council - Founder of Waikato School of art based in Hamilton.
• 1973 - 1975 - Exhibitions, Auckland Art Museum, Hamilton Art Museum, Christchurch Art Museum.
• 1976 - London England - continue with S.P.A.B.
• 1978 - Exhibit constructions at Central School Holborn London.
• 1979 - Tuscany Italy. Open Witte Studio.
• 1983 - Exhibit sculpture, Prato Italy.
• 1985 - Germany, Fryeburg - one man exhibition painting and graphics.
• 1986 - Barcelona Spain. Extend Witte Studios to Barcelona, begin working with Jorgen Sorenson - Spain and Italy.
• 1988 - Appointed project design consultant for the I.Q.R.A Trust by Prince Yasia - Develop glass projects producing prototypes in Murano Venice - Italy.
• 1989 - Create Witte Tile Company - producing hand made precision terracotta tiles, volume production.
• 1990 - Hawaii USA. Sculptural projects for hotel chain and golf course.
• 1992 - Madras India. Move to India - married with Indian, travel between India and California, USA.
• 1994 - Pondicherry India. Relocate and establish Witte studios India.
• 1996 - India - Design and build thirty foot sail boat wood.
• 1996 - On going sculptural work for private clients, India.
• 2005 - Continue to develop - Witte Studios India.
• 2006 - Develop set of sculpture for business concern and development corporation in Cornwall, (UK) - ongoing. On going 2006 Cornish collection of sculptures.
• 2007 - India, developing 2007 sculptural collection (bronze) for the US. UK begin studies for new paintings, Canadian series. Quebec Canada, develop Canadian painting series.
• 2008 - UK, Canada, USA - bronze casting California. Continue to develop studies for painting for 2009

Geoffrey Witte's work spans more than four decades. A painter, sculptor, and printmaker, he has worked in many countries throughout the world having works in private collections world wide. Witte's professional career began in New York in the early 60's where he was an active participant and was friend and associate to many of the well known artists. Through Robert Rauschenberg he met Marcel Duchamp in '66. As personal friend of Andy Warhol, Witte had contact with the world of film and glamour. Yet, throughout he maintained a personal approach and originality which is readily apparent both in painting and sculpture.

The intensity of Witte's work develops from his method and approach, each picture or sculpture - large or small has a unique history and process, subject matter is drawn from a specific theme, which is developed through complex mathematical deductions and modifications, with subjective references to aspects of science, nature, and technology - yet the finished work stands essentially regardless of the complexity of its evolvement - that his work not only has a background of long experience but also each piece and picture has undergone its own particular specific development, establishes a state where, works can be seen to change. The more they are seem or that there is always more to see in the work.

In conclusion, Witte's painting is very much about painting itself - colour, brush work, counterpoint in perspective, depth of field, and the formal layout. Asked if he thought of his work as abstract he answered, "Everything I do is drawn from nature, from careful considerations of nature. I always know the specific origination, but that may only be apparent to me, and perhaps is not important to know, or in fact in many cases, would only confuse. So for me my work is not abstract. Definitely 'recognisable' but not to be confused by recognition, which would make the work literal. I want painting to be essentially about painting, and sculpture to be about sculpture".