Wolfgang Blanke

Wolfgang Blanke is a passionate advocate for experiencing the sensuality of materials. He is well known for working with raw materials like pigments and binders like oils, waxes, resins and glues instead of using industrially produced colours. In this way the artist finds new means of expressing his personality and moods directly. Many of his figurative paintings arise out of the intense and spontaneous observation of the moment, a feature which he has acquired among other things through his other passion – sailing and seafaring.

"I work with raw materials and produce my own paint. This allows me to use a huge variety of colours which all act different. With transparent layers I can both show the progress of painting itself and the thrilling contrast between the figures and the background.
Is there anything more striking and important in painting than to deal with the painting itself?
You feel these fascinating materials while you are in the dialogue of a painting process - you listen to it and it guides you."
(Wolfgang Blanke)

1948
born in Muenster/Westfalia

1966 - 1971
Seaman for Hapag-Lloyd

1971
Art Academy with P. Burger

1972 - 1975
Faculty for Art and Handicrafts Education, History of Art and Archaeology at the University of Mainz

1985
Gallery and Atelier « La Pastourelle »

1990 - 1992
Living aboard the Sailing Yacht „Sakura“ from Myra to Mulhouse

1992 - 2002
Art Teacher at Goethe-Gymnasium in Germersheim

2003 - 2004
Living aboard the Sailing Yacht „Duet“ from New York to the Bahamas

2005
Transfer of the Sailing Yacht „Sagitta“ from Florida to Exumas, Bahamas

2008 - 2009
Chairmanship of the Professional Artists Association Karlsruhe

Exhibitons (selection):

1969
Townhall Paderborn, D

1972
Galerie Gurlitt, Mainz, D

1975
Paula Modersohn-Becker-Haus, Bremen, D

1980
Villa Streccius, Landau, D

1983
Zehnthaus, Jockgrim, D

1993
Villa Boehm, Neustadt, D

1993
Schloss Ettlingen, D

1994
Kunst am Bau, Germersheim, D

1996
Galerie der Stadt Stuttgart, D

1997
Galerie Gaasch, Luxembourg, L

1998
Galerie Aktuaryus, Strasbourg, F

1999
StArt, Strasbourg, F

1999
European Art Of The Fantastic, Figueras, E

2001
Galerie Kulturraum, Speyer, D

2001
Galerie Venezia, Pirmasens, D

2001
Galerie Grawitz, Wiesbaden, D

2002
Art at the Regional Court Karlsruhe, D

2002
Artists Fair Mainz, D

2004
Galerie am Schloss Edesheim, D

2005
Art Price Exhibition Sparkasse Karlsruhe, D

2007
Galerie Veith, Stuttgart, D

2007
Galerie Schaefer, Wiesbaden, D

2008
Artists Fair Karlsruhe, D

2010
Galerie Eigenart, Karlsruhe, D

2010
LineArt, Ghent, B

2011
Art Innsbruck, A

2011
Artists Fair Stuttgart, D

2011
Galerie Wim Dessers, Keerbergen, B

2011
Thalhaus Wiesbaden, D

2013
Galerie Zeitgeist, Nuremberg, D

Publications:

1989
Movie on ZDF

1991
Movie on the Cultural Channel K3

1996
Book: "Malerei" (K+K Publishing House)

1997
Book: "Aussteigen..." (Delius Klasing Publishing House)

1998
Book: "Malerei mit Pigmenten und variablen Bindemitteln" (Knaur)

2007
Book: "Segeln USA Ostkueste und Bahamas" (BoD)