Artist Statement

"Over the course of recorded history man has felt compelled to record his reactions and insight in visual form. The artist is always searching for something new, individual form of expressions. Thus, art changes, rapidly or slowly. The task is to make a personal statement that also has value as communication. The artist always hopes that the presentation has validity to the viewer.

"My work incorporates materials that exhibit the characteristics of residual energy.  Out of this, taking the energy inherent in phase forms, I combine them in such a way as to produce order and unity, but retain remnants of the power that will provide an emotional recognition in the reviewer." -Anton Weiss

Biography

Anton Weiss was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia of Austrian descent to Franz and Elizabeth Weiss. As WWII broke out, the entire Weiss family chose to move to the family winery in Yugoslavia in hopes of avoiding the war. Unfortunately, the Germans completed the occupation of Yugoslavia in approximately ten days, and German-speaking males were then forced to join Hitler's army, including Anton's father.  

When Franz came home on leave to visit the family, one of Anton's most important childhood memories took place. He and his parents walked twenty kilometers from Brestovatz, Yugoslavia to Ponchovo, Yugoslavia to view a documentary on Michelangelo. Upon leaving the movie, Anton knew that he, too, wanted to be an artist.  

The withdrawal of the German army ended with the reoccupation of Yugoslavia by Russian forces: they started placing all Germanic people left in Yugoslavia in concentration camps, including Anton, his mother, and his mother's parents. After Anton caught malaria and survived, his mother escaped, followed six months later by Anton. The family was finally reunited and decided to move to the U.S., where they ended up in Springfield, TN and then eventually Nashville. After studying for years under Hans Hoffman, Anton came back to the Nashville area where he became involved with area art groups.