ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Qualifications
1979 - 1981 BA (FineArts), University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
1982 - 1985 MA (FineArts), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
1984 Part-time tutor, Department of Fine Arts, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
1988 Part-time tutor, Department of Fine Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
1989 Full-time lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
ACADEMIC DISTINCTIONS/FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
1981 Degree in BA Fine Arts, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, awarded with distinction.
1985 Degree in MA Fine Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, awarded with distinction.
A w a r d s
1989 Merit award: Volkskas Atelier Exhibition, Pretoria
1990 Joint first prize winner: Standard Bank National Drawing Competition
1994 Honorable Mention: Sleeping Beauties: A Juried Art Exhibition, Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Los Angeles, USA
CSD Grant awarded towards sabbatical research project
2001 Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner
2007 SASOL Wax Art Award Winner
COMMISSIONS, ACQUISITIONS, EXHIBITIONS
C o m m i s s i o n s
1990 Sculpture for Tatham Art Gallery, Pietermaritzburg
1995 Gencor Centenary Commission, Johannesburg
1996 M-Net KTV Studios, Johannesburg
1997 International Convention Centre, Durban
1998 MTN Head Office, Sandton, Johannesburg
1999 ABSA Bank,Johannesburg
2000 Rand Merchant Bank, Sandton
Sandton Convention Centre
2002 Wall sculpture: Wentzel Webber & Bowens, Illovo, Johannesburg
Wall sculpture: Ernst de Jongh, Illovo, Johannesburg
2003 Wall sculpture: Medical Learning Centre, University of Cape Town
Sculpture: Dimension Data, Bryanston, Johannesburg
Sculpture: 12 Apostles Hotel, Cape Town
Sculpture: Arabella Sheraton Hotel, Cape Town Convention Centre
2003/4 Sculptural Fittings for the New Constitutional Court Building, Johannesburg
2004 Outdoor sculpture for Oliewenhuis Sculpture Garden, Bloemfontein (approx 1,2 x 1,2 x1,2m)
Miniature Gold-wire sculpture for RFC Corporate Collection, Sydney, Australia
2 wall sculptures for Sibaya Hotel and Casino Complex, Umdhloti, Kwazulu-Natal (approx 1,5 x 1,2m each)
2005 Wall sculpture for SAB Sandton Head Office foyer (approx 6m x 6m)
2 wire wall reliefs for Bouchard Finlayson Wine Estate (each panel 1,4 x 1,4m)
2005/6 Wall panel for Gallo House, Rosebank, Johannesburg (3m x 1,5m)
Interpretation of large world map for the new Origins Centre on Wits Campus (covering an area of approx 6m x 14m)
2006 2 sculptural wall panels for the 12 Apostles Hotel,Cape Town
2007 Wall sculpture for Wits Medical School foyer
2008 2 large banners for the foyer spaces to the soft-drinks division of the SAB Head Office, Sandton.
W o r k s  a c q u i r e d   b y  P u b l i c   C o l l e c t i o n s
Durban Art Gallery
Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town
Johannesburg Art Gallery
King George VI Museum, Port Elizabeth
Oliewenhuis Museum, Bloemfontein
Pretoria Art Museum
Standard Bank Collection
Stegman Gallery, Bloemfontein
Tatham Gallery, Pietermaritzburg
University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
E x h i b i t i o n s
1981 Durban Botanical Gardens Sculpture Exhibition
1984 Staff Exhibition, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
Solo Exhibition, (MA Fine Arts) Rembrandt Gallery, Milner Park, Johannesburg
1985 Cape Town Triennale
New Signatures, Durban
1986 Group Exhibition, NSA Gallery, Durban
1988 Volkskas Atelier, Pretoria
1989 Volkskas Atelier, Pretoria
1990 Staff Exhibition,University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
1992 'The Paris Catalyst' Exhibition, Alliance Francaise, Durban
1993 SA Artist’s Association, Pretoria
Two Person Exhibition, with Peter Schütz, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
1994 Vita Art Now, Johannesburg Art Gallery
1995 Johannesburg Biennale
'Three Sculptors Three Readers' - Three-Person travelling Exhibition with Peter Schütz and Neels Coetzee
1996 'Earth and Everything: Recent Art from South Africa', Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, and various centres in the U.K.
'Simunye: 10 South African Artists' - Group Exhibition, Goodman Gallery/Adleson Gallery, New York, U.S.A.
1997 ‘A Little Big Thing’, group exhibition, The Thompson Gallery, Johannesburg
'The Lost Wax Show' - Group Staff Exhibition of Small-Scale Bronze Sculptures, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
'4 Rooms' - Group Exhibition, The Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
'Nearer Than Bronze' - Travelling Group Exhibition of Paper Sculptures
1998 Klein Karoo National Arts Festival - group exhibition.
1999 'The Paper Show', group exhibition of Paper Sculptures, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
'Young Professionals' - Group Exhibition, Sandton Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
WIts Fine Arts Staff Exhibition, NSA Gallery, Durban
'Emergence' - Travelling Exhibition
'Babel Tower', Group Exhibition, Civic Gallery, Johannesburg
2000 Oudtshoorn Arts Festival, Group Exhibition of Linocut prints
Hanover Expo, Germany, Group Exhibition
2001/2 Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner 2001, travelling Exhibition to Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Johannesburg
2003 'Coexistence: Contemporary Cultural Production in South Africa' - The Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Boston, USA (January 22-June 29 2003).
Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town (September 24 2003 – March 2004).
2004 'Enviroserv: Wasteart Exhibition' - Sandton Civic Gallery (June 2004)
Three-person exhibition (with Kevin Brand and Samson Mudzunga) at the Michael Stevenson Gallery, Cape Town (September/October 2004)
2005 'In the Making: Materials and Process', Group exhibition at the Michael Stevenson Gallery, Cape Town (September 2005)
2006 'Beeldspraak' drawing ('Scarab Suit') made for an issue of the Arts supplement to the Beeld newspaper (November 2005) and on display as part of a group exhibition, March 2006, University of Johannesburg
Amaridian Gallery, New York. Small scale wall sculpture
2007 Drawing for the KKNK Festival, Oudtshoorn, South Africa
Solo exhibition - Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg (13 October - 3 November)
Kaunas Art Biennale 'Textile 07', 'Skin - to - Skin' - Group exhibition (November - March)
2008 'Skin - to - Skin' - Group exhibition at the Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg (16 April - 10 May)
Two-person exhibition with Peter Schütz, Goodman Gallery, Cape Town (8 - 30 May)
PUBLICATIONS
1995 Rankin, E. ‘Domestic Relics: new sculptures by Walter Oltmann’. In J. Sherman (ed.) Three Sculptors, Three Readers. Johannesburg: University of the Witwatersrand, pp 21-37
Rankin, E. ‘Shaping Sculptors: Training at the University of Natal’ and ‘Walter Oltmann: Mediating Meaning’. In Coetzee, Oltmann, Schütz. Bloemfontein: University of the Orange Free State, pp 3-11; 15-16.
1997 September, ‘Decorative Wirework in African Material Culture of Southern Africa’. In De Arte 56, Pretoria: University of South Africa Press, pp 9-24.
2003 Allara, P., Martin, M. and Mtshiza, Z. Coexistence: Contemporary Cultural Production in South Africa, Boston: The Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University and Cape Town: ISANG.
2004 Nettleton, A., Charlton, J. and Rankin-Smith, F. (eds) Voice Overs; Wits writing exploring African artworks. Johannesburg: University of the Witwatersrand Art Galleries, pp 94-95
2005 Perryer, S. In the Making: Materials and Process, Cape Town: Michael Stevenson Gallery.