Detlef Gotzens also known as “Dego” was born and raised in Cologne Germany, he began his career in the Arts as an apprentice in one of the oldest stained glass studios in Cologne. During this time he has involved with the restoration and conservation of historic stained glass windows in and around Cologne. Likewise, the Jakob Melchior studio worked with some of the best-known contemporary artists creating new stained glass windows and Detlef was part of the team that worked with them executing their design concepts. Naturally, during this period working with these Artists had a strong influence on him.

The exposure and his involvement with these Artists and their work also solidified the desire in Detlef to pursue Art but at the same time continue his technical education within the Art glass field which he finalized with his Master’s degree in 1977 as well as a degree in glass technology and design, by studying for two years at the glass college in the Town of Rheinbach, close to the City of Bonn.

During all this time Detlef always continued to make drawings and paintings as well as working as a glass professional also participating in various group exhibitions. In 1985 after he had visited family he decided to immigrate to Canada and settled in Montreal where he continued working in conservation and restoration and where he completed various high-profile historic projects over the years many of them can be found online in articles written about him until in 2009 when he finally devoted himself to his art exclusively and created a large body of work in many media from painting to sculpture and architectural art installations.

Detlef is an Artist that pursues various directions in his artwork that sometimes overlap and feed on each other as well. He explores multiple approaches to painting that lead him to expand his vocabulary as well as in making sculptures with glass in combination with many other materials that hold his curiosity and playful way of expressing form in space. Detlef is very prolific in his production of work and seldom takes breaks away from the studio other than participating in shows and exhibitions

Detlef has become an Internationally known Artist that has had many solo shows in Canada and abroad and he is represented in Galleries in North America as well as in Europe, Artlife-Galleries is proud to represent his work to our Florida and International clients.