Gero Trauth


Gero Trauth is a German painter, graphic artist, porcelain illustrator and designer.

Life and art work

Gero Trauth was born as a single child to Dr. med. Fritz Trauth and his wife Irene Jung in Neurode/Eulengebirge, Lower Silesia. In 1946 the family had to move to West Germany and settled in Siegen. Trauth is married to Renate Lohmann with two grown-up daughters.

Education

Trauth started his education in 1959 as a volunteer at the Buchkunst-Eggebrecht-Presse in Mainz led by Hans Schmidt. Then he studied Fine Arts, Graphics and Design at the Staatliche Werkkunstschule from 1960 to 1965. His teachers were Gedo Dotterweich, Alfred Tilp, Heinz Müller-Olm, Aloys Ruppel, Helmut Presser. The studies were completed by seminars given by Heinz Mack, Herbert W. Kapitzki and Anton Stankowski. In 1965, Trauth graduated with honors and gave a special exhibition at the Staatliche Werkkunstschule Mainz for a delegation of the ministry of Rheinland-Pfalz.

Tutors and friends

In 1962 Trauth met Bjørn Wiinblad through the help of designer Elsa Fischer-Dreyden. During his studies, Trauth frequently stayed in Copenhagen and Wiinblad became his artistic tutor and later his friend.
Trauth also became close friends with the Swedish painter and graphic-designer Gunnar Norrman and his wife Ulla. They often visited each other and worked together at the same artistic printing press for copper gravure.

Art works

Painting and design

Since 1966, Trauth has been working as an independent painter and designer in his studio in Siegen. In 1972 he designed and built his private house. From 1967 to 1983 his works include sketches, graphics and sculptures for internationally famous art galleries such as Artes - Kunst unserer Welt 1982-1989, ars mundi - die Welt der Kunst 1982/1983 both in a bronze and a marble version as well as posters and oil paintings. Trauth published two illustrated books entitled Verschollene Gärten and Mein Herz ist ein Stern - Bilder wie Träume und Märchen. His work as a designer ranges from ceramic tiles, fabric designs, lamps, cutlery, pottery ceramic and stainless steel ornaments for public buildings as well as furniture designs. In 2000 he opened an exhibition house in Siegen.

Illustrations on porcelain

In 1984 he began what was to be an extremely successful partnership with Villeroy&Boch/Heinrich–Porzellan in Selb which ended in 1997. During this time Trauth left his mark decisively on the range of products. The exclusive table settings and dinnerware were looked after by Trauth and Paloma Picasso whose objet d’art “Paloma Picasso-Suite de Vase” was decorated by Trauth. Moreover, he designed bone china dinner services. Numerous articles show his style, among others the exclusive objet d’art “Magnum”.
Trauth also created series of porcelain for the WWF and the German Cancer Research. Moreover, series of Russian fairy tale motifs were created as well as other series, annual Christmas plates, which were presented in Europe and in the USA, V&B, Madison Avenue, New York.

Cappella Gero Trauth

In 2003 the new exhibition showroom Cappella Gero Trauth was designed by Trauth. It stands for the symbiosis of works from the world literature and Trauth’s art works and is thought to be a refuge for his collectors.
2005 : Vernissage and exhibition of water-color graphics on Heinrich Heine’s Buch der Lieder
2008 : Vernissage and exhibition of oil paintings and graphics on Alexander Ostrovsky's Snegurochka
2012 : Vernissage and exhibition of oil paintings and graphics on “Ich bin so wild nach deinem Erdbeermund”: Nymphs
2013 : Vernissage and exhibition of oil paintings and graphics on “Indische Märchenwelt”

Awards and recognitions