vrijdag 23 december 2016

Rabbits or parrots and a collection of old shards

For Brazilian artist Camila Sposati I am working on a very special project, making a reproduction of the image of a 16th century old shard she found while digging a hole in the ground for one of her installations, the Earth Anatomical Theater, in Bahia Brazil.
It is a 16th century shard of a Faience plate from Portugal with the image of a strange looking rabbit or, when you turn the shard, a strange looking parrot.....

Below two still lives with the 'rabbit and parrot' shard in the middle between Chinese shards (for comparison, with rabbits as well) and a shard of a Dutch early 17th century Majolica plate, all from my own archaeological shard collection. And flanked by a few of my own ceramic works.




Tuinen Mien Ruys

Mien Ruys was a famous Dutch garden designer. Her private experimental gardens are open for the public. I had the privilege to participate in a ceramic exhibition in October in these gardens in the village Dedemsvaart. 
Here are two photo's of my Dragon Emperor in the garden.


















A shipping disaster (with sea monsters)

Because the fact that I have not posted anything on this blog since a few months ago, the next posts are to catch up (just before Christmas). Yes Yes there is never a good excuse, therefore a well-worn: I was a little busy with this and that.
For instance I am working on this large drawing. 
Following pictures are some details of the drawing work in progress.



























vrijdag 23 september 2016

Low profile in September

This September I am joining in two rather low profile exhibitions.
The first is a groupshow at the retirement home Veenhage in Noordorp near Den Haag.At Veenhage my ceramic sculptures ‘Fuping bird’ and ‘Drakenkeizer’ (Dragon Emperor), amongst others, are at the party.
http://beeldenindetuin.weebly.com
The second is a groupshow with fellow artists Ingrid Mol, Martin Horneman and Stefanie Ottens, called ‘Schoonheid en Sprookjes’ which means ‘Beauty and Fairytales’.
The location is quite special, the exhibition space is in the Great Barn of a classical Groninger farmhouse from 1650-1873. Although it is an old Barn, it has actually museum like dimensions. With wooden walls six meters high, a ceiling height of 10 meters, and free floor area of 25 meters by 6 meters.
There are many ‘fairytales’ being told in this exhibition, but ‘beauty’ is in the eyes of the beholder, so you have to see for yourself.
Bart Artbox is in the tiny village of Thesinge in the beautiful landscape surrounding the city of Groningen.
http://www.bartartbox.nl
















vrijdag 22 juli 2016

Dragons, Dodos and monsters

As a teenager with an archaeological interest in ancient ceramics I had a special interest in this ceramics and glass magazine , 'Vormen uit Vuur'. I then found old episodes at the ' The Slegte ' second hand bookstore in Utrecht. Now my work is featured in the latest episode by The Hague Art historian Andrea A. Kroon.
 

http://www.vormenuitvuur.nl
 

Magazine about ceramics and glass , from archeological finds to contemporary artists.
 

The magazine was founded in 1952.
 

The Dutch Association of Friends of Ceramics and Glass (De Nederlandse Vereniging van Vrienden van Ceramiek en Glas).
 































Beyond Reality & After Bosch

A few of my paintings and (some new) drawings are in the exhibition ‘Beyond Reality & After Bosch’ at ‘Atelier Horneman’, Groningen The Netherlands
June 25th – August 27 2016

Detail on the picture below the invitation is from a drawing with the title 'From the bird book of Jahangir'.























dinsdag 21 juni 2016

The eye of the photographer

My recent blue and white garniture/kaststel (that I made in collaboration with Tineke van Gils) has been photographed by amazing photographer Kees Hageman.
He often works with ceramic artist Tineke and her work has been photographed with such beautiful light and depth that I was thrilled with joy when I heard that he was going to photograph these vases as well. And I am really happy with the result!

















zaterdag 30 april 2016

Garniture challenge in blue and white

It's more or less a 'challenge' to me, painting about 6 vases in only two weeks. Together with ceramic artist Tineke van Gils I am making a so called 'Delftware garniture', 'Delftsblauw kaststel' in Dutch.
The set of vases is part of the upcoming exhibition 'In het straatje van Vermeer', see previous post.
The exhibition is organized in connection to the fact that Vermeer's famous painting 'The little street' is now on display for the first time at the Delft museum Het Prinsenhof.  
For this exhibition artist reflect on and are inspired by this famous work. 
On the picture below ceramic artist Tineke van Gils is showing the first finished vase.

 
























































































dinsdag 12 april 2016

The Adventures

Recently, these recent paintings were photographed/scanned by studio Buitenhof, Den Haag.

De avonturen van Noah en Milou in het rijk van de pijprokende apen 
The Adventures of Noah and Milou in the realm of the pipe-smoking monkeys
Oil on canvas
40 x 40 cm
2016
Commissioned by/collection M. van Peteghem


De boodschapper
The messenger
Oil on panel
 54 x 18 cm
2015


Onderhandelaars (Zeeslag der Sultans)
Negotiators (Naval battle of the Sultans)
Oil on panel
23 x 33,5
2015

































zondag 3 april 2016

The Little Street

Upcoming ceramic exhibition:
In het straatje van Vermeer, In Vermeer's little street
Kerk Op Hodepeil (Church Op Hodenpijl), Schipluiden
Curator: Tineke van Gils
 

May 3-29 2016
Open Mon-Sun 10 AM - 5 PM


www.inhetstraatjevanvermeer.net

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Street



vrijdag 1 april 2016

Ornaments and architecture

Ornaments and Hundertwasser, ceramics and paint. And some late night work.
A few days ago I had a very important presentation for a commission.
Now I just have to wait for the result, very exciting. And difficult because
the competition is really tough. 

But what the result may be, it was already immensely cool to work on the design.



zaterdag 26 maart 2016

Timelapse painting and Youtube account

This is a timelapse video of a grisaille (in black and white) underpainting in acrylics on a small canvas (the working title of this small painting is Prehistoric Monster Skull Collection). The rest of the painting will be finished in oil paint (but will take a lot longer than the underpainting).
I love timelapse video's and I really wanted to make one myself, and this is my very first try. I had already started the painting when I decided to make a timelapse of the rest of the underpainting.
Soon I will add the final result here.
If you don't like the video you certainly must like the music by my good friend Bastiaan de Boer 'Open The Bottle'.
 
My new Youtube channel is here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFr7pZMAzs7ZGyiV6EMMyuQ
On my channel you can find a playlist with video's about my work.

 


vrijdag 18 maart 2016

Sketchessketchessketches

It's been a few months not posting here on my blog (except from the two previous blogposts I posted just before this one), and that is about the longest time I did not blog. But I have been busy,  filling my sketchbooks with drawings for commissions, new paintings and actually starting to work on new paintings.
On the photos you see an overview of sketching.
Because most of the commissions are really seriously utterly secret I can't show much more now.

Furthermore, at the end of 2015, I started teaching art and design at the immensely cool Theaterschool in Rotterdam, and I am enjoying that very much!
Such a nice school with all those talented students.
http://theaterhavovwo.nl/





































































The nest

This blogpost was supposted to be posted somewhere in November 2015, but I actually forgot to post it. 
I recently made this small painting for my good friend Bastiaan de Boer. He is now starting a small collection of my work, and just commissioned a brand new one.
A good picture will be made soon, and posted here and in the portfolio section of my website.




































The rat we call mouse

As we speak my "the rat we call mouse" sculpture entitled 'Afterwar Delight' is sitting on the rocks at the art and antiques store and gallery Diederiks Fine Art located in what must be one of the most attractive streets in the old city centre of Den Haag, 'Het Noordeinde' street.

One of my Fuping birds, also on display at Diederiks Fine Arts, is surrounded by Easter eggs and reclining at a 19th century sofa.


www.diederiksfineart.com
























vrijdag 8 januari 2016

Circus rondom Bosch

Circus around Bosch
A small solo in Schijndel (As part of the Hieronymus Bosch year)
I exhibit paintings, drawings and ceramics
January 9 until March 5, 2016
KEG expo
Cultureel Centrum 't Spectrum
Steeg 9 5482 WN Schijndel

www.kegschijndel.nl


www.bosch500.nl/nl/agenda/detail/q/a_id/177/titel/circus-rondom-bosch
 

www.bosch500.nl/

Video and interview with me made by the local television (LOS) of Schijndel


Photos taken during the installation of the exhibition