Petra Schott

Born in 1953 in Hannover, Germany, Petra Schott is an abstract painter whose art revolves around states of mind, longings and memories. Petra Schott studied Fine Art at the Art Academy in Kassel between 1979 and 1982. In addition to painting, Schott also had a long career as a lawyer and judge in Germany, before dedicating herself full-time to making art in 2014 and attracting the attention of national and international galleries, art critics and collectors. Schott delicately creates colourful representations of nostalgia, freedom and human relationships. Whilst delving into the exploration of the mediums of her choice, which can range from pastel chalks, pencils, acrylics to egg tempera and oils, she also explores nature and an intangible realm in which human figures with expressively abstract facial expressions are loosely outlined. Although Schott is a right-handed woman, she paints with her left hand too as a way to further connect with the left hemisphere of her brain, which is responsible for creativity and artistic intuition. Thus, the artist’s creative process begins first and foremost with exploring materiality. A strong inner urge drives the artist to a particular canvas, paper or painting medium, or even a particular colour, and she lets her intuitiveness guide her. The selection of colour is another important aspect in Schott’s work as it gives her the opportunity to explore a particular moment, feeling or connection. Her paintings can sometimes take weeks or even months to complete as she imprints on the canvas shapes, marks and lines found in her everyday life, transforming them into an abstract language of painting that oscillates between lyrical abstraction and figurative references.