Hilmar Udo Fister Gottesthal
Artist and sculptor Hilmar Udo Fister Gottesthal was born on Christmas Eve 1942 in Carinthia, Austria. After he graduated in 1966 from the “University of Vienna” and the “Vienna Academy of Fine Arts” with the two highest art awards his interest in Byzantine art took him to Greece and Turkey. There he spent 30 years painting and sculpting among the ancient ruins capturing myths and religious icons. His earliest One Man Shows were at the Istanbul City Gallery, the State Museum, the American Robert College and American Cultural Institute. It was then that Nancy Hanks; later Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts discovered and invited Gottesthal in 1968 to his first American showing in Rockefeller Center, NY.
Moving to Greece he drew international attention developing his own Sepia ink from squid and produced Black and White drawings. In 1978 he was an “Artist in Residence” for the Berkeley School For The Arts painting archaeological sites throughout Mexico with resulting works shown at the Governor’s Palace in Oaxaca. Later he painted murals in the Bell Tower Chapel of a Greek Orthodox Church near Mount Olympus and restored two Byzantine chapels. Greek television made a movie of his life as an artist.
Gottesthal’s unique style of painting is often pointillistic, sometimes mosaic-like and many works have a spiritual element. In 1986 in Turkey he recorded a nautical archaeological recovery of the 11th century Byzantine shipwreck at Serce Harbor. These works are on permanent display at the Bodrum Nautical Archaeological Museum. He executed and donated an enormous sculpture to the Hasanbaba Forestry Recreational Park, “To The Children of the World”. In 1992 following a retrospect of his work at the National Museum in Ankara, he was awarded a medal for his cultural contribution by Turkey.
Gottesthal believes that generally the role of an artist is that of a chronicler. Historically any culture is judged by the standard of its art. In order to be able to filter important things from fluff there is a need of knowledge of past and present humanity as well as awareness of the natural world that surrounds us.
Gottesthal recently said:
Choices of my subjects are decided by circumstances that very often are beyond my planning. I am an instrument and try to be wide open to receiving information of events around the globe. My main interest is trying to search out positive elements that “are not decadent”. Instead I choose building blocks for future enlightenment. This is why I paint.
I have accomplished three goals in my life time. First was choosing to become a painter-sculptor, secondly, converting to the Catholic faith, and thirdly become an American citizen. These three elements are basic in my creative process enhanced by my individual life experiences. The world of music has taught me form, composition, color, and space. My ideal painting would be an equivalent to a Mozart Symphony; seemingly crystal clear optimistic and uplifting. Without showing any trace of the invested effort, struggle, and agony, the accomplished opus lives on its own, independently.
Now a US citizen, he exhibited in 2006 in Villach, Austria and executed a stained glass commission in Vienna. Since 1999 he has completed over 27 stained glass windows including a 9’ x 12’ window for a Cumberland Church and was invited to the White House’s 2002 artist’s reception for the Stained Glass Ornament he made for the National Christmas Tree. In 2007 he was featured on “This Week In the Arts” on Maryland Public Television and completed a 17ft outdoor sculpture from the historic Washington Elm Tree that stood next to Washington’s Headquarters in Cumberland entitled “By George”. Visitors are welcome to schedule visits to Sanctuary Studios by calling (301) 478-2735.