Franz K. Opitz - Biography - Stations of his life (Curriculum vitae)

Born in Zurich in 1916

“I am a Sunday child* (5th November 1916 was a Sunday). And I have a cheerful nature. In my early days, the joy in creating was already awoken, be it through the possibility to observe shapes and colours or be it through the association with word and language. Drawing and writing have been my favourite subjects in school. I wrote most of my essays in verses.”

*In German, this term “Sunday child“ signifies that he was born under a lucky star. Children born on Sundays are said to be lucky with everything they do.

Primary and Secondary school in Zurich

Trained as a cobbler in his parents’ shoemaker shop in Zurich and continued working there until 1940.

1931

Joined the orchestra community Unterstrass and later, for 30 years, played as a fiddler in the orchestra community Zurich under conductor Marius Meng.

1932-1934

Took the first painting lesson with Willy Fries and subsequently with Otto Friedrich Emil Séguin, from 1938 to 1940, in Zurich.

1938

Since 1938, he utilized different graphic techniques, such as woodcut, lithography, etching and aquatint.

1940

Worked as a freelance painter since 1940.

1944

Married Heidi Opitz-Sturny in the church of Unterstrass, Zurich.

Various study visits in Paris
Made study trips to Holland, Belgium, Southern France, Italy, Spain and Morocco.

Selbstbildnis und Porträt seiner Frau Heidi.

1945

Förderungspreis der Eidg. Kunstkommission (Funds awarded by the Swiss Arts Commission)

1949

Member in “Verein für Originalgraphik” (society for cultivating and supporting certain artistic techniques)

Further works for (besides):
Graphia (swiss association of executives in the graphic industry)
Arta (foundation of friends of art, Zurich section)
Visura Graphik-Edition (member of Jeffreys Henry International)
Kunstkommission des Schweizerische Lehrerverein (SLV) (committee of arts of the society of swiss teachers)

1950

National scholarship.

From 1950 - Design of mosaics from natural stones.

1951

Member in group of artists, named Octogon.

1953

With the birth of his daughter, Elisabeth, his photographic talent unfolded.

1957

Initial travels to Greece: “cubical houses and boulders on Greek islands became favourite patterns.”

1961

Master of Leica

1964

Since 1964 - Stained-glass window

1965

Moved from Zurich Witikon to Obfelden / Säuliamt.

1967

Joined Rotary Club Knonaueramt.

1965-1970

From 1965 to 1970 - Transition to pure abstraction

“Franz Opitz may draw and paint abstractly, as he has proven that he is able to.” (Dr. Emil Landolt, Zurich, Mayor)

1982

Publication of his poems as “Heitere Gedichte” (“Cheerful Poems”).

“Only after a few decades, I started writing cheerful poems, with the first ones being playful. Then slowly, I became more ‘serious’ with it. The possibility of juggling with words, just like a clown does with the balls, captivated me more and more. And I kept having new ideas, partly surrealistic ones. People think in grotesque ways and animals start talking and acting far too humanly. I do not want to conceal the fact that the dear Christian Morgenstern contributed his part to that.”

1985

After almost 30 years in GSMBA (company of Swiss painters, sculptors and architects), out of which some years were spent in the board of directors, he retired.

1997

Publication of poems «Der Gartenzwerg» (“the Garden Gnome“)

1998

On 16th December 1998, he died in his house in Obfelden, shortly after his 82nd birthday.

“Franz K. Opitz can look back to a long artistic journey. He walked this trip in the same careful manner he used to compose his works. The way he turned away from the object in favour of pure abstraction, it happened after a long process of ripening and he mastered the new style as if he had practiced it throughout his whole life. He was neither a man of far leaps, nor of clamour or propaganda." (Hans A.Lüthy)

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Franz K. Opitz | Administration
Elisabeth Opitz, Schmittenstrasse 18, CH-8912 Obfelden
T +41 (0)79 316 84 20, info@franz-k-opitz.ch