Testimonials...
I first met Guglielmo two years ago when he visited the Art Association of Harrisburg (AAH), Harrisburg, PA, in search of
exhibition opportunities. Guglielmo has familial ties to Pennsylvania and approached me with the idea to create a series of drawings revolving around Harrisburg. His goal was to visit different cities within Pennsylvania, capture the cityscapes through drawings, and then exhibit each series in its designated location. From August – October 2018 the AAH presented From Italy to Harrisburg: Street Drawings by Guglielmo Botter. This collection of original drawings was a large success, gaining Guglielmo praise in local magazine publications such as, “The Burg.”
There is no doubt that Guglielmo’s work is beautifully rendered with its juxtaposition between tight and lose line work that makes the buildings and city streets pulse. However, from a curatorial standpoint, I see Guglielmo fostering something deeper than a collection of well executed cityscapes. Guglielmo is subtly communicating the similarities between all humans no matter the city or county in which he visits. The street planning and architecture may be different in each of his series, but his style remains the same. While the cities are recognizable to the familiar eye, the viewer begins to notice repetitions within each drawn location. Additionally, Guglielmo gives local viewers a different perspective of their own hometowns.
Humans are creatures of habit, and daily schedules feed into this habitual nature. People travel the streets that take them to their usual destinations and avoid (consciously or unconsciously) streets that do not fit into their daily routine. Through contemplating Guglielmo’s drawings, the local viewer is forced to step outside of their ‘usual day-in-and-day-out.’ They are now seeing their home through the eyes of a visitor – what he deems interesting and important enough to record on paper. Guglielmo makes the viewer think and explore something they may have never even thought to explore had they not seen his work.
Due to the very nature of his work, Guglielmo is adapt to working cross-culturally. I am confident that he would thrive in an environment with Fellows from different countries and backgrounds. Guglielmo is selfdriven, professional, curious, and tenacious. I highly recommend him.
Rachel O’Connor
Curator
Art Association of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, PA
April 2019
Pittsburgh, PA
As Curator of Gallery 506 and Guest Services Manager of the Columbus Area Visitors Center, I am writing to recommend the work and the character of Mr. Guglielmo Botter.
I met Mr. Botter as he was preparing an exhibit of architectural drawings for a nearby community of Jasper, Indiana. From our first conversation, it was clear that his skills, artistic vision, and his joy and enthusiasm for the work would be a perfect fit for a Gallery 506 exhibition in Columbus in the same time frame as an exhibit at Jasper. He accepted with enthusiasm an offer to become our first artist in residency.
Columbus is well known nationally and internationally for significant modernist architecture and a diverse population, and Guglielmo’s drawn interpretations of more than two dozen buildings in their context project a unique view and energy of line. After a year of professional communications from Italy, previews of the drawings and accompanying printed products, and final plans for the exhibit, residency and gallery opening events, he returned with an exquisite body of work which has become a lasting legacy here.
During his residency, Guglielmo demonstrated his skills and passion for the work to numerous groups in our community, including high school and college students. His generosity of time and his encouragement was appreciated by all he encountered, and he was able to make a connection to a wide range of ages, ethnicities and skill levels in his formal and informal presentations.
Through our many conversations, a subsequent visit to Indiana to develop new community partnerships, and through his book about the history of his family, I have come to know and appreciate Guglielmo Botter for not only his skills, but for his vision for the future based on a deep appreciation of the past. His proud continuation of a long and storied line of artists, artisans and craftspersons is a
much-needed connection between past skills and past culture to a modern-day interpretation of our cultural assets. Trained as an architect, his drawings reveal a vision and point of view that is unique and fresh.
I appreciate the opportunity to write on behalf of talented visionary and well-respected ambassador
of the arts, Guglielmo Botter.
Jan Banister
Curator Gallery 506
Columbus, IN
April 2019
As the former owner of Gallerie Chiz for over 22 years in Pittsburgh, PA, I have had the pleasure of representing Guglielmo Botter as one of over 200 artists from all over the world. I am now, as an artist, still functioning as a gallery but only for my own work. However, Guglielmo is an outstanding artist, as well as a very interesting person. We featured him here. He had a special connection with Pittsburgh, PA, since his mother was originally an artist here many years ago. He lives full time in Italy, his home, but for many years has spent summers with his family here and in a few other areas of the United States.
His drawings of buildings are exceptional. He has a style that is recognizable and appealing. He is a perfectionist. We sold a large amount of his work, all original drawings, to members of the community for a number of years. People whom he meets all seem to become immediate friends, and he does much to participate in producing art for them that is meaningful to them. He is certainly deserving of any help that he can get along the way.
I hope that this recommendation helps him to further succeed. I have represented many artists of high caliber from 1995 through 2017, and he, and his work, were always impressive.
Ellen Chisdes Neuberg
Studio/Gallerie Chiz
5831 Ellsworth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-441-6005
April 2019
Columbus, IN
Harrisburg, PA
L’architetto Guglielmo Botter ha avuto occasione, su nostro invito, di esporre le sue opere in occasione della Festa della Repubblica Italiana organizzata da questo Consolato d’Italia a Friburgo in data 2 giugno 2019.
In particolare, le opere esposte dal maestro Botter, già apprezzato in numerose altre occasioni dalle Autorità locali, si sono concentrate su questa città di Friburgo, cogliendone gli aspetti maggiormente artistici e di rilevanza culturale.
La mostra si è collocata nel più ampio quadro dello storico dialogo culturale fra Friburgo e i Comuni italiani, andando a cogliere proprio l’aspetto di vicinanza tra i nostri due Paesi, con particolare riguardo alle affinità storiche e artistiche.
Il maestro Botter, artista prolifico e particolarmente versatile, ha condotto l’esposizione con piena soddisfazione di questo Consolato, e riscuotendo il consenso e l’ammirazione dei numerosi ospiti sia italiani che tedeschi. In particolare, l’aspetto di maggior attualità è stato quello relativo alla necessità di riscoprire una dimensione artistica urbana, intessuta nella spazialità cittadina, una questione particolarmente attuale con riferimento alla dimensione ecosostenibile dello sviluppo, particolarmente cara a Friburgo.
Il Console
Federico Lorenzo Ramaioli
Consolato d’Italia a Friburgo
Germania
Aprile 2019
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany