Strength and fragility

I paint and draw animals, people and sometimes landscapes. Working animals interest me as painting objects, and I just love drawing them from life in the fields around me or painting them on a big scale in my studio, which is in a converted dairy farm just north of Amsterdam. You can't find me happier than when painting a life size giant bull with huge brushes and broad strokes.

On a deeper level, the long standing and sometimes uncomfortable relationship between kept animals and humans keeps coming back in the work, whether I paint horses, donkeys, cows or apes. The dependence of the beast upon us, and its trust, give us a huge responsibility. I'm not at all sure that we as humans always live up to our part of the deal. In most of my work this relationship between humans and animals plays a role, sometimes overt, sometimes more in the background.

Drawing and painting living creatures from life is challenging and exciting. Animals move around, and this means that speed is important. I like the thrill of trying to get it right in one go, but visible signs of searching for the right shapes are part of the work, too. The brushstroke is essential and I try to achieve the freshness of my life sketches in the larger studio paintings as well.

 

 

FRESH OFF THE EASEL

These works will be on show at PAN Amsterdam 2024, in stand 50 of Galerie Mokum, November 23 - December 1.

Quince tree, oil on wood 40x30cm
Quince tree, oil on wood 40x30cm
Golden harvest, oil on wood 50x50cm
Golden harvest, oil on wood 50x50cm

Current and upcoming exhibitions

2024  
October 8 - January 14

L_A_B 13 "Een schitterend gebrek", vitrine Boterhal, Hoorn

November 6 - January 11

"Visitekaartjes", Galerie Paterswolde, Paterswolde

November 23 - December 1st

PAN Amsterdam 2024 with Galerie Mokum, stand 50

November 29 - January 3

Salon, Arti&Amicitiae, Amsterdam

November 30 - January 12

Ledententoonstelling "Kleur", de Boterhal, Hoorn

   
2025  
January 18 - February 23

Solo "Wereldreis van één kilometer", Boterhal, Hoorn

February 6 - 9

Art on Paper with Galerie Mokum, Amsterdam

May 1 - 4

Guest artist at the FIAAC (Foire International d'Art Actuel), Pouilly sur Loire, France

June 30 - July 6

Schilderfestival Noordwijk