The exhibition at the Degewo Hochhaus Galerie
From 12 January to 22 March 2022, the Degewo Hochhaus Galerie in the foyer of Raoul-Wallenberg-Straße 40/42 in Berlin-Marzahn showed Diana Achtzig’s solo exhibition “Tierportraits nach Fotos & Skizzen” (animal portraits from photos and sketches). On display were watercolours on watercolour paper of dogs, cats, fish, hares and birds. The exhibited pictures were for sale.
Key facts
- Diana Achtzig paints animal portraits from her own photos and sketches, mostly in watercolour.
- Her exhibition at the Degewo Hochhaus Galerie ran from 12 January to 22 March 2022.
- She also paints portraits of pets on commission.
- RBB, TV Berlin and Alex TV have reported on her.
How are the animal portraits made?
For an animal portrait, Diana Achtzig photographs the animal and draws sketches. Based on these, the picture is created over a longer painting process: as a watercolour on paper, an acrylic painting or an oil painting on canvas. Her animals usually look cheerful and playful, with big eyes and strong colours.
The subject is very personal for the painter: she has captured her own dogs, cats and birds in pictures in the same way. For other pet owners she paints portraits on commission, so that special moments with a favourite animal are preserved as a picture. A video of her painting a pug in acrylic shows how she works.
Earlier exhibitions with animal portraits
- 24.07.–05.09.2021, Stadtteilzentrum Biesdorf (Alt-Biesdorf 15, 12683 Berlin): solo exhibition “Tierportraits als Tierallegorien” (animal portraits as animal allegories) with around 24 oil and acrylic paintings on canvas. Report in the Berliner Woche (German)
- 15.10.–30.11.2021, Kiezklub Alte Schule (Dörpfeldstraße 52, 12489 Berlin): around 24 animal watercolours from photos and sketches. Press release of the Treptow-Köpenick district office (German)
Diana Achtzig has also been showing animal pictures in galleries since 1990, including in Amsterdam, at the Alessandro Abadetto Galerie and at the Galerie Bottega Barone in Berlin. An overview of her galleries can be found in the article Erotic watercolours by Diana Achtzig on eBay.
About the artist
Diana Achtzig studied art at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK) and graduated with a diploma. She then studied for seven years with Alex Bär, a painter of the New Leipzig School.
From 2010 to 2021 she regularly exhibited at the art fair “Berliner Liste” at Kraftwerk Berlin. According to her, her works are now part of 47 art collections worldwide.
Diana Achtzig on TV and in the press
- RBB, “zibb” (17.04.2020): presenter Andreas Ulrich introduces the painter and her exhibition “Verschmelzung von Mensch und Tier” (fusion of human and animal). During the coronavirus pandemic she held digital vernissages in her gallery. Report on YouTube
- TV Berlin (24.04.2020): report with presenter Rick Schütze. Report on YouTube
- Alex TV (2021): the film group Mittenmang shot two films about the exhibition “Tierportraits als Tierallegorien” at the Stadtteilzentrum Biesdorf. Alex TV report, video of the vernissage
More TV reports and press articles are summarised in the article Buying art from Diana Achtzig.
Buying or commissioning an animal portrait
You can see and buy animal pictures by Diana Achtzig at the Kunstgalerie Berlin Achtzig in Berlin-Biesdorf, read more in the article Art Gallery Berlin Achtzig: Grand Opening in Berlin-Biesdorf.
Would you like a portrait of your own pet? Then contact the artist directly. Good photos of your animal help her as a reference.
Contact the artist
- Email: diana.achtzig(at)googlemail(dot)com
- Phone: 0178 4482997