March 4 – 22, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 7, 2 – 4 pm
Artist Talk: Sunday, March 22, 2 pm
The selection of drawings in this exhibition show earlier themes related to the main panel The God of War (2026), WilliamLottering’s reaction to recent political conflict and aggression. Over three panels, The God of War shows a moment of attack. A missile charges over a mountainous landscape where a volcano is erupting. From his stage the artist, wearing a spiral shell helmet, recognizes the projectile, while a female figure behind him sees a machine-like bird – or is it a fighter jet? – attacking a family standing on a bridge, from the air. On the artist/warrior’s palm, the lines of fate suggest a questionable outcome.
The God of War is a companion piece to Lottering’s earlier triptych Road to Perdition (2022) [image below] painted in acrylics. The support drawings demonstrate the artist’s thinking over several decades and viewers may recognize how the symbolism in these images such as figures, machines, insects, missiles, ruins, birds and insects, has gradually developed. Lottering’s primary visual expression is through line; it is fundamental to his artistic vocabulary and gives his paintings and drawings a distinctly graphic, organic look.
William Lottering grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has been living and working in Ontario since 1991. Early in his career, Lottering was a sculpture instructor at the Pretoria Art, Ballet and Music School and then taught at the University of Pretoria and Tshwane University in South Africa. Later, William defected to the broadcasting world, for a decade as radio announcer and producer at the SABC. Here he produced art programmes, wrote scripts, read news on national radio, conducted interviews, did voice work for TV, produced documentaries and directed more than 200 radio dramas for Radio Suid-Afrika. During this period William was also an arts critic on radio (RSG) and for INSIG (INSIGHT), a South African news magazine.
After immigrating to Canada, Lottering taught art for 25 years and retired from his education career as arts consultant for the York Region District School Board. Currently, he teaches life drawing and painting, speaks on art, conducts workshops, and paints in his studio. He has written a novel, eight plays and countless scripts. He is a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada and the Ontario Society of Artists.
Apart from working in his studio, Will teaches courses in life drawing and painting, presents workshops, facilitates and consults on arts projects and speaks publicly on art topics. Will regularly travels to Africa, Europe and the USA. He is a member of the Anna Small Theatre Lab and of the Playwrights Guild of Canada.
