ABOUT THE ARTIST
Kathrin Wötzel
Under the name PILOTESSADESIGN the passionate glider pilot creates individual paintings according to her own design, preferably from the field of aviation. She creates her works as so-called "digital paintings" and has them printed in large format on artist canvas or plastic banners.
Her preference for flying was shaped in early childhood, which she describes as follows:
"Actually I always wanted to become a skydiver, but then everything turned out completely different", says Kathrin Wötzel from Jena in Thuringia. Grown up as the daughter of a successful and enthusiastic gliding family, she has been with us from the very beginning. However, the political rules of the time never allowed her to fly as a child.
So she started theoretical training at an early age, in order to finally complete the long-awaited first glider launch on her fourteenth birthday at her home airfield Jena-Schöngleina. Even though the flying training was not allowed with her parents, her mother sat in the flight instructor's seat on that day.
Already at the age of fifteen Kathrin Wötzel was allowed to pilot a glider on her own. Just in time for her 16th birthday, she was given her glider license. Only three weeks later, the Thuringian completed all three conditions for the performance badge and became the youngest Silver C pilot of the GDR. So it happened that Kathrin started competition flying at the tender age of sixteen.
In the meantime, the three-time German champion has about 3,000 flying hours. In addition to her gliding license, she also holds the motor glider and ultralight license. She has participated in seven World and one European championships, winning two silver medals and one bronze medal.
In addition to competition flying, Kathrin Wötzel was able to participate as a co-pilot in four spectacular world records in the Argentinean Andes in 2005, covering up to 2,400 kilometres in one go, three of the world records in the cockpit of the Andes specialist and Mont Everest conqueror Klaus Ohlmann. She flew the fourth together with her Italian partner and three-time world champion Stefano.
Professionally, the graduate engineer has been working in vehicle development for many years. In addition to projects for renowned German automobile manufacturers such as Daimler AG, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, AUDI and VW, she has also gained experience abroad. Particularly noteworthy is a two-year development project in cooperation with the Facoltà di Ingegneria "Enzo Ferrari" for a new Italian sports car with a CFRP body. In the meantime, it has switched to alternative drive systems and works in the fuel cell development department of Mercedes-Benz-Fuel-Cell GmbH.
In 2008, she set up her own business in the graphics sector. Under the name PILOTESSADESIGN her office is located at the glider airfield Hahnweide in Kirchheim Teck. Here she offers paintings on canvas as well as complete hangar equipment and trade fair displays with her design.
Furthermore you can find selected gifts for pilots and flight enthusiasts in her own shop.