When you meet Norbert Tetzlaff, you can sense his authenticity. When the 62-year-old from Wuppertal talks enthusiastically about surfing or cruises with his Rio 550 Spring on the Veluwemeer in the Netherlands, the spark literally jumps over. "Tetzy" - that's his nickname, and it's also the name of his boat - lives his hobby whenever he can, and preferably together with his family. They are the most important thing for him.
He is also passionate about his profession: Norbert Tetzlaff has been working as a roofer for almost 40 years, a job for which he was not even trained. The trained car mechanic was unemployed in 1983 when his brother-in-law - who was a roofer - took him to the construction site as a helper. Tetzlaff took a liking to the work and learnt the trade so quickly through practice that his boss made him a foreman. This was not the only coincidence in Norbert Tetzlaff's life. At the right time, he finds - or finds him? - what suits him. This was also the case in December 2020, when the roofer "Tetzy" unexpectedly became the artist "Mr Tetzy". He is building a roof balcony and has to replace old and defective beams. He looks at the wood and thinks to himself: "You could do something great with this." So he takes it home and puts it in the cellar where his workshop is located to dry.
From roofer to artist
A few weeks later, Tetzlaff begins to knock off the rotten wood with a hammer. He sands the beams with a machine, coats the wood several times with ecological clear varnish and lets it dry again. Days later, he picks up the beams again and examines them closely. Suddenly he has the idea of making a lamp out of them. He searches his workshop for a suitable base for the wood, finds one and mounts it. He then procures cables with a switch socket and a light bulb. All he needs now is a lampshade or something similar to let the light shine through. Finally, he refines the lamp with rare metals, ropes, slate and other creative details. A unique piece. It was not to be the only one. Once the dormant talent has been tapped, Mr Tetzy sets off a veritable firework of ideas. He became more and more creative, producing one artistic lamp after another to this day. Each one has a recognisable theme: maritime, extraterrestrial, fan fiction, music, ecology & recycling, faith, animals, etc.
Craftsmanship opens doors
The material and "ingredients" for this come from a wide variety of sources: Norbert Tetzlaff gets hold of them on eBay, at flea markets and in souvenir shops - also from the Netherlands - or from the scrap metal trade. After careful, loving preparation, he presents them in his unique lamps. In his home town, he also got to know a "very nice carpenter from whom I can buy great old beams". It is striking that doors open for Norbert Tetzlaff, alias Mr Tetzy, wherever he goes, even at the second attempt. This probably has something to do with the nature of the professing Christian:
In everything I do, peace with all people is very important to me - and it gives me particular pleasure when I can do something good for the people around me - be it by giving them time or being there for them with help and advice."
More about the work of Norbert Tetzlaff can be found at www.mr-tetzy.de to experience. His works were also exhibited at boot Düsseldorf.
