PETRA SCHOTT

 

 

1. Share a bit about you and how you became an artist. 

    

I am a German abstract painter born in Hannover, Germany and now living in Frankfurt. My own interest in art only grew during my time as a student of law. During my first law exam, a very stressful time, I rediscovered a forgotten gift from a friend: a watercolor set. From then on I started painting. It felt so good to do something with my hands, more or less without thinking. At first I only painted in the evenings - and then it become a passion I pursued more and more intensely.

 

 

 

 Artist: Petra Schott, Germany

 

   

     

2. For artists who've always lived in their birth country, how does your homeland inspire your art? Artists who born and raised in different countries, how do those experiences influence your art? 

    

I have been raised in my home country but as an adult I have lived abroad too for twelve years. For me it has always been very inspiring to get to know new cultures, people and languages. Listening to English language, for example, puts me in a different mood than listening to French or Italian. I like to take that up and express it in colors and rhythms in my work.

 

 

 

 

 Abstract Expressionist Painting by Petra Schott, Germany

 

 

   

 

3. Can you describe your art and your art style? 

    

I describe myself as an abstract painter, but this is only partly true. I sometimes work in a figurative-abstract style, meaning that loosely outlined faces or humans appear in my paintings.

Sometimes I overpaint them, sometimes they stay. I also like to scribble into my paintings, to gather all that comes up in the moment and introduce it as a mind-based information into my paintings. I like to contrast colour-based parts with figurative parts or with scribblings, because I love my paintings to be open and wide.

My paintings are a celebration of life in all its complexities and I want to unveil more of our unconscious worlds existing beyond words. Painting for me is magical because colours and shapes are a language of their own and translation into words is not really possible. I love this freedom of expression and I love the large-scale formats. I feel I can’t control them, so I let go of all intentions and just enjoy the flow of doing, of painting, thus becoming one with the work.

Another important feature of my work is the medium. I work with oil paints because I love the texture and the power of the colors.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Who are your biggest influences? 

    

My art is influenced by many other artists, for example Cy Twombly, Martha Jungwirth, Leiko Ikemura, Cecily Brown, Tracey Emin, Joan Mitchell, Pierre Bonnard, Willem de Kooning and many others. I take up certain things from them and experiment with them. In general, my everyday-life is an inspiration too, the poems and books I read, the ideas I ponder and being in nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 5. How has your career developed and evolved? 

      

I pursued a Fine Arts Degree in Kassel at the Art Academy and then over time developed my own style. For me the most important thing was to continuously work in order to stay connected with what I did.

After I stopped working in the legal field in 2014, my art has grown in intensity and subtlety of expression. From that moment on galleries took interest in my work and I could present my work in many countries already. I did not submit my work to any gallery, they just found me - and that makes me very happy!

 

 

 

 

 Abstract Expressionist Painting by Petra Schott, Germany

 

   

     

6. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? 

   

A difficult question!! I don’t want to make too many plans, neither for my life nor for my art. I want to let it grow like it wants to grow and I want to stay open. Painting for me is a way of being and I don’t want to "achieve" anything with that. It is blocking me if I have too many intentions for what I paint, for the outcome. In a way, I think I don’t "make" that, but it evolves and comes to life if I don’t hinder it.

But of course I have wishes!

So one big wish would be to show my art in a New York gallery! Let’s see….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 7. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as an artist?

       

 I love Jerry Saltz’ book "How to be an artist". There are many good advices in there, and when I am a bit hesitant or blocked or clueless about how to go on, I open the book at a random page, finding, for instance, a title like: "Don’t be consistent"‘, "Finish the damn thing" or "Work, work, work". I love that; it makes me smile and laugh about myself - and I go on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. How do you balance your personal life and your art practice?

      

Oh, there is not much balance, mainly I paint! Painting is my personal life! Of course, this is not quite true - but I try to reserve as much time as possible for being in my studio.

And once a week I spend a day walking and hiking in the woods close to where I live. Nature is a huge resource in my life. And of course I love to spend time with family and friends, to read, to listen to music, see exhibitions and much more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. How do you balance social media and your art creation?

        

I like to see what friends are working on, what other artists are doing, so Instagram is a part of my daily dose of social media. Often I think it is like going through a permanent exhibition, it is so inpiring! It is difficult not to become a bit dependant - but well, it is like that.

Social media, particularly Instagram, for me also means many important contacts and a lot of support and visibility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Can you share your favorite quote and what it means to you? 

    

One of my favorite quotes is what the German writer Arno Geiger says: "Art is not preventing us from chaos but from order."

 

 

 

 

 

11. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists or those thinking of starting an art career? 

    

My advice would be to just do what you like best and where you find pleasure and excitement. Don’t think too much; just let the flow guide you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

12. Where can people find your art?

    

My art is visible in several galleries, on my website, on Instagram and I also have a public portfolio at artworkarchive.com, where people can see, where my work is exhibited, which works are sold and which ones are available directly with me.

 

 

Contact Details

 

Petra Schott