Guttorn Otto

Guttorn Otto Biography

Guttorn Otto was born in Poland into a family steeped in a background of art and music. His father, a Lutheran minister, was also an accomplished artist and musician who encouraged his children in the study of these cultural pursuits. Still in his teens, Guttorn decided to concentrate his efforts in fine art and to make his career in this field and he spent several years in concentrated study with some of Europe’s most noted teachers. He travelled extensively throughout Europe painting landscapes and studying the techniques of many European artists.

Guttorn Otto came to Canada with his family in 1952 and settled in Toronto, which is still his home base. Since then he has travelled across the country many times, finding inspiration from the endless variety of the Canadian landscape. A lover of nature in all its myriad forms, his works display a freshness and spontaneity typical of the best primavera artists. He confines his work to two basic media, oils and watercolour. In addition to his landscape paintings, Mr. Otto is particularly noted for his striking florals, still life, and seascape paintings.

In great demand as a teacher, he presently teaches on a regular basis at several art schools and associations. He has had many successful one-man exhibitions across Canada, the U.S., and Germany. His paintings are in private collections around the world and in many galleries.

Now over 80, as well as producing works of art and teaching, he tends his garden, plays the cello, discusses philosophy, and windsurfs with his son and grandson.