About the Artist
From the Realm of Numbers to the Realm of Color: Frank Nitsche’s Transition from Science to Art
Frank Nitsche in his studio | 2008
Biography
As a child, Frank Nitsche found in drawing a place where the world seemed lighter. But the GDR initially steered him in a different direction: mathematics and physics. He passed two state exams and taught these subjects for two decades – numbers instead of colors. A quiet counter-movement remained: in the “in-between space,” he met the artist Paul Otto Knust, who became a mentor and father figure, finally opening the door to painting. At 41, Nitsche drew the necessary conclusion, turned his life around, and enrolled at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design (art education), while simultaneously auditing courses at the Academy of Visual Arts Leipzig (HGB Leipzig) – studio instead of classroom, paintings instead of formulas.
His works emerge slowly, in layers, often over years. Oil paints are applied, allowed to dry completely, sanded, and then reworked; traces of old paint flicker, carrying memories into the present and giving the surface a patina. From the free interplay of color, form and controlled chance, pictorial spaces condense, unfolding an inner logic: a stream of light and movement that seems to glow from within – painting as a “topography of layers”.
Recognition and sales have been growing steadily for years; many works are already being sold “straight from the easel” to collectors, and some have even found their way abroad. Important impulses came from Paul Otto Knust, Prof. Ulrich Hachulla (HGB Leipzig), and Prof. Josef Walch (Burg Giebichenstein). Key milestones included major solo exhibitions as well as “New Art in Old Walls” at Falkenstein Castle, where Nitsche intertwined his paintings with historical spaces. Since 2025, his work has also been receiving noticeable digital attention – particularly from artists, curators, and galleries. This is leading to the next step: further developing thematic series, expanding his gallery presence both nationally and internationally, and deepening lasting relationships with collectors – painting as an enduring value, not a fleeting effect.
Frank Nitsche, born in Eisleben in 1958, lives and works in Aschersleben (Saxony-Anhalt). His studio has been the center of his life since he began his studies in 1999 – a quiet, bright space where paintings take shape. Supported by his family and a long career as an art teacher (including founding the Aschersleben creative workshop), he continues today what began in his childhood: He makes visible what lies beneath the surface – layer by layer, light from the depths.
Artist Statement
Children's Land Reloaded: Joy that doesn't displace seriousness
“I paint with the confidence that the world—despite its fractures—is a place of color, light, and lightness.” This feeling of life becomes the stage in my paintings: light meets movement, forms dissolve, are permeated by the light, and reunite in play. What emerges is not a static image, but a dialogue of rhythm, color, and tempo—a play of light that makes the pulse of life palpable.
For me, lightness is not an avoidance, but a stance. I stage light and color in such a way that, alongside brilliance, the potential for fall always remains visible. Behind the playful surface, the human emerges: memory, longing, vulnerability. The lightness doesn’t erase the crack—it illuminates it. In this way, spaces are created where one can smile and reflect at the same time.
Childhood is a recurring motif. It represents free, creative play as well as rules, expectations, and challenges. In my work, I construct a childhood world where I am king, fool, and sailor all at once—ruler, dreamer, explorer. These roles allow me to question my own history and reclaim lost wonder.
Stylistically, I move freely between Cubism, Expressionism, Abstraction, and Surrealism. Lines are deconstructed and rearranged, surfaces tilt, perspectives shift. Color is my protagonist; the image emerges from play—and in play, truth reveals itself.
My paintings invite you to immerse yourself, to let yourself be carried away, and to return with a trace of hope. I believe in art that inspires courage: lightness without repression, joy with depth. When a painting opens our eyes inward and simultaneously makes the arena of life appear brighter, it has achieved its goal—more honest, freer, more human.”
“My wife Dietlind, to whom I have been happily married for many years, is an integral part of my life. Together with our two sons, their partners, and our four grandchildren, she forms the stable foundation that supports and strengthens me.
I spent the majority of my professional life passionately teaching art at a high school, where I had the privilege of shaping the careers of numerous young artists. In 2010, I founded the Kreativwerkstatt Aschersleben – a youth art school that remains particularly close to my heart. Even though I am no longer at the forefront of daily operations, I continue to support the institution as a consultant, graphic designer, and educator.
I consider the Kreativwerkstatt, Workshops for Art and Science Aschersleben, an important part of my life’s work, and I am committed to ensuring its continued existence as long as my strength allows.”