Teresa Witz selected for the BT Art of Sport Initiative

Plymouth-based painter Teresa Witz who has recently been selected for the BT Art of Sport initiative as part of the forthcoming Cultural Olympiad.

This project will see 10 of the UK's leading creatives retelling the story of the London 2012 Olympics through their work, capturing the dedication and commitment of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes and conveying the drama and passion of these sporting events.

Through the BT Art of Sport initiative Teresa has worked with some of Team GB's leading Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and the result is a striking body of work that I thought might make for a really powerful piece for your publication.

The BT Art of Sport programme is a key element of BT’s sponsorship activities for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The idea behind the initiative is simple. Participating artists have been granted access to work close to top Olympians and Paralympians, and draw on them as inspiration. The BT Art of Sport initiative will re-tell the 2012 Olympic story, capturing the dedication and commitment of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes and conveying the drama and passion of these sporting events. The project will provide a legacy to the Olympic Games and the sale of works will support a range of sporting charities including Paralympics GB.

Teresa Witz was born in Cyprus and brought up in Plymouth. She received her BA Hons at the Wolverhampton College of Art and throughout the years continued her formal education with a certificate in Art Therapy from the Birmingham School of Art, a degree in Fine Art Practice from the Sir John Cass School of Art and most recently a MA in Fine Art in 2001 and a Doctorate in Fine Art in 2008 from the University of East London. Her paintings focus on the iconic in the contemporary mediatised world and her work with Paralympic and Olympic athletes, who she sees as “iconic unknowns”, seeks to express the power and emotions invested in the pursuit of the Olympic dream.