uli OSTERMANN ~ home

Translated in ENGLISH and GERMAN

1955 born in W - Germany

1983 Received M.A. in Educational Sciences, University Muenster.

During the study period also visiting galleries and museums in Berlin, (Emil Nolde Haus) Seebuehl, Cologne, Frankfurt, Salzburg, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
The visit to the DOCUMENTA '82 in Kassel becomes an essential influence and initiates a new take on art. Starts to build the first larger canvas and sells water color series to an art dealer in order to finance partly her academical training.

1984 Marriage and new plans

1985 - 1988 Birth of three daughters. During this time: private and two public commissions. The first six exhibitions, sales and reviews.

Later - attends workshops to study water coloring, nude drawing, and lithographic print. However, working in acrylics turns out to be the preferred medium. Sells, including two larger works to collectors in Frankfurt.

1993 Membership of the Association of Professional Artists-Plastic Arts (BBK), Germany

1994 Last show in Germany ( Dresden) before immigration

1995 Ending an almost 6 years "weekend-marriage" - due to the Fall of the Wall and his work in the Eastern part of Germany - by joining husband and moving to Dresden.

1997 After preparations of seven years, finally immigration to Canada
The adjustments and social life of the girls and her own artistic career become the
two main focuses now.

1999 Building the studio

2002 After a time of orientation and new decisions but always working in her studio,
participation in shows again and commission work.
Between 2003 and 2008, large sales to private collectors in Berlin, Jacksonville/FL, Calgary and New York.

2005 1. show in Canada / Solo Exhibition in Gallery in Calgary

2007 website is launched

2007 Membership, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA. Accepted for juried group show in 2008, and first exhibition in the USA

2007 Finally moving to the beautiful Coast, to Vancouver Island

2008 The painting "Bodyguard" is used as a book jacket for Maureen Seaton's new book " Sex Talks to Girls".

2009 Membership (active member) of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver

2010 AFCA Member

2010 Membership (elected) of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA), Toronto

Various commissions in Germany, the Netherlands, USA and Canada

2009 Opus Bronze Award, Kelowna, BC

2009 Award of Excellence, FCA Chapter Group, Comox Valley, BC

WEBSITES::

www.uliostermann.com
WMG,Chicago

AFFILIATIONS::
BBK/ Germany
Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Il /USA
Federation of Canadian Artists

Society of Canadian Artists

Click Here for Biography in Deutsch

1955 in West Deutschland geboren

1977 Beginn des Studiums an der WWU Muenster

Waehrend der Studienzeit Reisen zu Galerien und Museen u.a. nach Berlin, Seebuehl (Nolde Haus), Koeln, Frankfurt, Salzburg, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Tel Aviv und Jerusalem.

1982 Der Besuch der DOCUMENTA '82 in Kassel wird der ausschlaggebende Anstoss, selbst kuenstlerisch zu arbeiten. Die "Neuen Wilden", Gerhard Richter, Anselm Kiefer, Basquiat sind nur einige, die eine bleibende Wirkung hinterlassen. Erste groessere Leinwaende werden selbst gebaut.

Regelmaessige Verkaeufe von Aquarell-Serien an einen Kunsthaendler folgen als Teil der Finanzierung der restlichen Studienzeit.

1983 Abschluss des Diplom Paedagogik Studiums mit Schwerpunkt Sozialpaedagogik an der Westf. Wilhelms Universitaet, Muenster

1984 Heirat und neue Plaene:

1985 - 1988 Geburten der drei Toechter Deborah, Miriam und Leoni. In der gleichen Zeit - private und zwei oeffentliche Kommissionsarbeiten( Portraits, Landschaften, Tiere, Abstrakte Kompositionen).

Erste sechs Ausstellungen, Verkaeufe und Pressebesprechungen. Spaeter- Beteiligung an Kurse fuer Aquarell- und Lithographietechnik und Aktstudien. Arbeitet laengere Zeit in Oel, die Acrylfarbenmalerei wird aber das bevorzugte Medium. Verkaeufe, u.a. zwei groessere Arbeiten nach Frankfurt an private Sammler.

1993 Mitgliedsaufnahme als Autodidakt im Berufsverband Bildender Kuenstler (BBK), Deutschland.

1994 Vorerst letzte Ausstellung, in Dresden

1995 Beendigung der fast 6 jaehrigen Wochenendehe - bedingt durch Mauerfall und beruflicher Taetigkeit des Ehemannes im Osten - mit Umzug nach Dresden.

1997 Siebenjaehrige Vorbereitungen fuehren schliesslich zur Immigration nach Kanada. Danach folgt der Fokus auf Begleitung der Kinder durch die Schulzeit und den weiteren eigenen beruflichen Werdegang. Es sollen die besten Sommer am See werden.

1999 Bau eines Studios

2002 Nach der Zeit des Sich-Neuorientierens, Wiederaufnahme kontinuierlicher internationaler und bald nationaler Ausstellungsbeteiligungen.Kleinere Auftragsarbeiten. Zwischen 2003 und 2008 - u.a. grosse Verkaeufe an private Sammler:: Berlin, Jacksonville/Florida, Calgary und New York.

2005 1. Solo Ausstellung in Galerie in Calgary und damit erste Ausstellung in Kanada

2007 Website kommt ins internet

2007 Mitgliedschaft, Woman Made Gallery/Chicago, IL, USA. Akzeptiert fuer eine juried Gruppenausstellung 2008, damit die erste Ausstellung in den USA 2007 - Endlich an die Kueste! Umzug nach Courtenay, Vancouver Island

2008 - Das Bild " Bodyguard" wird auf Anfrage von Maureen Seaton fuer ihr neues Buch " Sex talks to Girls" als book jacket verwendet.

2009 - Aktives Mitglied in der Federation of Canadian Artists. U.a. weitere Ausstellungen in Kanada und zwei Preise.

2010 AFCA Mitglied

2010 Mitglied der Society of Canadian Artists (SCA), Toronto

Auftragsarbeiten in Germany, den Niederlanden, USA und Canada.

2009 Opus Bronze Preis, Kelowna, BC

2009 Award of Excellence, FCA Chapter Group, Comox Valley, BC

WEBSITES ::

www.uliostermann.com

WMG, Chicago

MITGLIEDSCHAFTEN ::

BBK/ Germany

Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Il /USA

Federation of Canadian Artists

Society of Canadian Artists

I like to be spontaneous while painting, having Mozart, Sting, Joe Cocker or Miles Davis playing in the background. I also believe in the importance of concepts in art works and the therapeutic power of colors supporting healing processes because they influence feelings and thoughts like music does.

My themes are predominantly about human life and its processes of inner changes. Sometimes rough surfaces or scratches on the canvas can serve as an expression of the roller coaster character of these processes often leaving marks of emotional scars. In this case the painting is mainly about form and content rather than pursuing beauty in the first place or bringing a technique to perfection.

For the most of us modern life is a stimulus satiation of information for our senses on a daily basis. Therefore, it is calmness I'm looking for rather than creating overloaded busy compositions but without sacrificing the theme of the work. In order to do so I focus sometimes on transforming complex ideas into minimalism.
Over the last years certain symbols established themselves as essential elements of 'my language on canvas'. I assume there will be more to come. Also pictographs which can be found here in British Columbia are a rich repertoire of signs and symbols as well. Generally speaking about painting: struggle, frustration, joy, a lot of time and paint, breaking-through effects and passion.

Uli

Main Symbols

	Loops - opacity of social interactions
	Circle with a dot in the center - everything what points to the aspect of spirituality, mind, creativity etc. A circle leaving the painting by being positioned at the border of the painting's frame indicate an open process or development.
	The eye of the hunter - (pictograph of the Thompson Valley First Nations) surviving instincts but also the fittest-survive-motive in humans in its abusive exclusiveness.
	Double waves - empathy.
	Salmon - inner voice or intuition.
	Black and White - used as a symbol: black and white-thinking referring to an apparent dual world.

"To be absolutely free to create without fear and formula heartens the soul and opens the path to the joy of living."

Cesar Manrique