1980s "Otto" Ceramic Mosaic by Tile Muralist Guillermo Wagner Granizo

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"Otto" is a ceramic mosaic by Guillermo Wagner Granizo who was one of the world’s premier ceramic-tile muralists. His bright … Read more "Otto" is a ceramic mosaic by Guillermo Wagner Granizo who was one of the world’s premier ceramic-tile muralists. His bright colors, geometric shapes, heavy lines, and varying textures created in his Benicia studio convey a vivid portrait of people and events around the world.

He was born in San Francisco in 1923. His mother was from Nicaragua and for 11 years, he lived in Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua as a boy where he began to appreciate ceramics and the freedom of expression of non-traditional art. Following World War II he graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute where he received training in the formal rules of color and design. He then served as the first Art Director for KRON television in San Francisco producing sets for the first live television shows until 1959.

Then he became a producer of educational films, the most meaningful of which were made on the creative Mexican genius artists of Tamayo, Siqueiros, Zuniga and Cuevas. These artists became friends who supported and encouraged Granizo to carry on with his dream to be a great artist.

Granizo devoted all of his energies to the rendering of ceramic tile murals and mosaics with special attention to the creatives uses of color glazes. In the late 70's he began an extraordinary career transformation as a ceramic tile muralist, historian and fine artist. Many of his works are on public display in many cities in California, the U.S. and the world. The most prominent cities displaying his art are in San Francisco, Benicia, Hillsborough, Napa, Pleasanton, Vacaville and Los Angeles. Additional works are displayed in Alaska, New Mexico, Philadelphia, Utah, Australia, Europe, Mexico, Guatemala, Japan and Nicaragua to name a few. See less