Happy New Year !!!!

SEVENTEEN at ART BASEL

Xavier Cortada created 17 drawings on carbon paper, as a metaphor for the impact (or "carbon footprint”) that humans have had on these species, even across the boundaries of protected nature preserves. Cortada's original drawings of the seventeen species -- including the Wood Stork, the Key Largo Rat, and the Smalltooth Sawfish-- will be on display at his studio.  

For Art Basel seventeen local artists were invited to reinterpret Xavier Cortada's "80.15 W" carbon paper drawings.

The seventeen invitees are: Vince Herrera, Ernesto Kunde, Alex Yanes, Kazilla, Sean Ritchwood, Diana Contreras, Eleazar Delgado, BMD, Anthony Burks, TMNK, Kid, Courtney Rutter, Clay Frye, Yoko Sigiura, Sri Prabha, Alexandra Seda, and me. 

I was lucky enough to get the Piping Plover as my subject, the little bird at the beach that seems to have a love-hate relationship with the tides. Below is my interpretation and it will be for sale at the exposition.

 

The Openings Reception is on Thursday December 1 at 6:30 pm till 9:30 pm at the Gallery at Cortada Studio

104 SW 9th Street, Ground level | Eastside, Suite B, 

Miami, FL

Art Zoo

Saturday December 3, 2011 I will be showing (and who knows selling) my two Zebra paintings at the Fundraiser Event "Art Zoo". This event is to raise money for PAWS 4 YOU Rescue.  

This is a 501(c)3 non-profit, volunteer, donor-subsidized animal rescue organization based in Miami, Florida.  Their top priority is to save animals from euthanasia at Miami-Dade Animal Services. On average 100 animals are destroyed every day at this county shelter!

Rescued animals vary from being sick, injured, homeless and surrendered to simply lost. PAWS 4 YOU Rescue give these animals a safe environment, professional medical care, training, support, hope and lots of love. The animals are sterilized, vaccinated and ID micro-chipped to prevent future loss. Some require major surgery from a specialist to repair broken limbs while others may need additional rehabilitation time and specific medical care - ranging from respiratory illnesses and skin infections to cherry eyes and heartworm treatments.

50% of the proceeds of the sold paintings will go to the fundraiser and they will share that with PAWS 4 YOU Rescue.

Darkness in Pompano Beach

Last night I received the confirmation that my 3 entries are juried into the group show "Darkness" at the Rossetti Fine Art Gallery in Pompano Beach. 

Pretty Pretty Flower

Artists were encouraged to enter works with dark themes and imagery. In other words for the artists to tap into their darker side. I chose to stay with one of my favorite subjects - children - and painted 3 fictional portraits (12" x 12"), using ink, charcoal and 4 colours of Acrylics (White, Red, Grey and Payne's Grey). I did not feel that full colour would do justice to the subjects and chose to stick with a limited palette.

I was aiming for a slightly subtle level of darkness and I was surprised that it was actually hard to restrain myself from going into a"SAW" kind of blood filled darkness, while setting up the portraits.

I am really pleased with the result and of course that I am juried in. The exposition will be open for public October 24th and the opening reception will take place on Thursday 27th from 8 pm - 10 pm at Rossetti Fine Art Gallery in Pompano Beach.

Zebra I Presume

Currently I am working on a new set of paintings which will be different from what I have been painting lately. I wanted to step away from the pouts and nudes, and explore different subjects in my paintings. 

The first painting, which I finished today, is about perception. Again the photo I took does not do justice to the colors at all, but it gives you some impression.

This painting - I named it "Zebra I Presume" - is in acrylics, ink and graphite, and is 36 x 36".

Mona, Mona, Mona.....

Several weeks ago I received an invitation from MANO Fine Art to create my interpretation of one of the world's most famous paintings: The Mona Lisa.

Talk about a creative challenge and a very inspiring one indeed for me. Leonardo da Vinci was the artist that wanted me to paint as a little child. My father came home with a book about Da Vinci's work and I was in awe with every picture in that book. By the time my father sat down to look in the book himself, my little fingerprints were all over every page.

I made a triptych (3 canvasses of 12x12") like a little story board and put Mona Lisa in a different background and not as the pretty little model with the mysterious smile, but an active young woman . I named the triptych "Mona Lisa Rules".

And here is my little teaser for this exposition: a small strip of one of the canvasses.

If you want to see the rest of this painting and all the other interpretations, you should come to

MANO Fine Art Project Space

4225 SW 75 Avenue

Miami, FL

Opening Reception will be on Saturday,  September 17 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm.

Visit the facebook page for more information. 

Out of Context

Galerie Jenner in Fort Lauderdale came up with another creative idea for a show: Buy a paint-by-numbers-kit and get inspired. Anything goes as long as it is OUT OF CONTEXT! 

So a couple of weeks ago I went to the art supply store and stood in front of all the "paint-by-numbers-kits" section, trying to figure out which one to choose and what to do with it.
I choose the kit numbered "PJS49" and that is also the title of the painting.

I worked with the subject and let myself be inspired by this kit. It was for me a complete out of context experience and I had a lot of fun with it and I think that it shows in this work. For now I only show you a little piece of the whole painting (30 x 40"). 

If you want to see the whole painting and all the other creations based on painting-by-numbers-kits, come to Galerie Jenner.

The Art of T-shirt

 

All last week I worked on 2 T-shirts for the "Art of t-shirt" exposition at the Sol Gallery in Miami Beach. Last Sunday I was finally able to deliver the t-shirts at the gallery and yesterday I received the email that my work was accepted. Even better.... so short notice and they even added my name on the flyer/poster.

The opening reception will be Friday July 1 and it includes life music by Uprooted Reggae Fusion Band and a screen printing demonstration and will be in honor of two charities in humanitarian causes:

So-Me, which is a clothing line aimed at intellectualizing fashion and taking a stand against all intolerance through fashion. 

No More Tears, a not-for-profit organization that rescues victims of domestic violence.

The exposition will be until July 31st.

And below a glimpse of one of the t-shirts I made for this show. I made a painting on canvas with acrylics, which was stitched (Thank you Katja!) to the t-shirt. I painted lines from the canvas on the shirt to connect the art with the t-shirt. The title is "Just Because".

So join me on July 1, 2011 at Sol Gallery at the CANDO Arts Co–op: 309 23rd St. Miami Beach, Fl 33139 (one block west of Collins Ave.)at 7.00 pm.

Life in Orange

"Life in Orange"

Acrylics & Silver Leaf

6" x 18"

Life in Green

Life in Green

Acrylics & Silver Leaf

6" x 18"

Nude in Boots

Nude in Boots

Acrylics & Gold Leaf on Paper

22" x 30"

This is not about the Red Line

"This is not about the Red Line"

10" x 10" x 1.5"
Acrylics
2011

UPDATE: Now in Private Collection

Life is Art

"Life is Art"

6 x 18 inches

Acrylics and Gold Leaf

2011

UPDATE: Now in Private Collection

Spring of the Arts

The Galleria’s “Spring for the Arts” will unite Broward’s diverse array of arts groups from April 2 through April 30. The arts celebration was created to educate, inspire and motivate the community to embrace the arts. Spearheaded by The Galleria, this month-long program will provide a platform for local arts groups to promote their organizations, plus raise funds for Funding Arts Broward, which provides grants to further the arts in our community. Life Is Art is presenting several South Florida artists on April 2nd and 3rd.

And as you can see at the poster, I am one of the lucky artists who is juried into and who will be presented at this two-day event.

If you are in the neighbourhood this Saturday and Sunday, step in and enjoy our work.

What is on my easel...

Last Saturday I finished this painting and I named it "Secrets of a childhood".Again I painted on an unstretched canvas with acrylics. The painting itself measures 33" x 35". with a band painted in blue of 4" all around it.

The subject relates to me when I was a little girl and I would hide little secrets inside certain dolls. It could be a pebble, a little note, anything that I felt to be my own little treasure and some things I did not want anybody to know about. But even though I was always a little afraid that somebody would find it, I never thought all these little things inside a doll's body would make a noise. I now know my mother would take the arm of the doll to look inside, curious what made that noise when she moved the dolls to clean, but she never said anything to me about what she would find.

Two expositions in February!!!

Once upon a time there were two "call for artists". I entered my work for both the events... Yes I was feeling gutsy and you never know, right? 

And then I was juried into both events...

Tonight is the opening of the first event. It is the Cheesecake Pinup exposition and I have two small male nudes showing there (yes, MALE nudes.... why should all pin ups be female?). 

The show is at Galerie Jenner in Fort Lauderdale and will continue until March 31.

The second event I was juried into is the "River of Art"; an annual event organized by Life is Art here in Miami. The event is only one evening and every year 7 or 8 artists are selected to show one painting at the event. And there is my painting on the poster.... the third one from the right bottom row.

Meanwhile I am working on a new painting ...

Life is just wonderful...

What is on my easel?

Just an hour or so ago, I finished another painting and will be send to The Netherlands next week where it becomes part of a private collection.

It is painted on (non-streched) canvas with acrylics and its size is 33" x 32".

Anybody who knows me a little, knows that my pictures of my work are not the best and yet again I manage to NOT capture the true colors. 

The following detail of the painting gives a better idea about the colors.

I named the painting: "OWL" 

In private collection

What is on my easel...

I have been working on this painting of this little girl (36" x 24") in acrylics for the last weeks. On the wall behind her the text of the first article of the Bill of Rights is written. It is fading and chipped off partly. The girl is staring at me - the artist - or at all of us, wondering....

Study in colour of the male body

I love to paint and draw the male body. I am clueless why somebody could say that the male body is ugly and not esthetically pleasing to look at. It is true that male bodies come in all shapes and sizes, but the same applies to female bodies. Besides we each have a different taste in what we find pleasing to look at.

Personally I find the work of Dylan Ricci very pleasing to look at and his male models are superb. His photography inspired me to the two following studies in mixed media (soft pastels and ink).

In these studies I highlighted the beauty in the round shapes of a male body. In the background - to contrast the round forms and shapes of the body - I use straight lines and rectangular shapes. Soft pastels are an excellent medium to bring out the softness of the skin, whereas the ink makes the contrast to the pastels.

Word and Symbols July 3 - August 10, 2010

The Windish-Hunt Gallery in Coconut Grove, FL had yet another great idea for a show. The subject is "Words & Symbols". It is the kind of subject that inspires a lot of artists, even if we normally do not use words or symbols (-ism) in our work.

I entered two paintings for this show; both are 24"x24" and in acrylics. Normally I work with oil paint, but I also like to work with acrylics. I choose a different style, more colors and more freely and I had a lot of fun in doing so.

The first one is "Change your words and you will change your world" The text starts on the left side of the canvas and finishes on the front. Words are powerful as words can kill, hurt, uplift and actually change your life.

The second is almost the opposite of the first as it refers to silence.

"The title is: "Listen to the colorful words of my silence". This one is inspired by a conversation I had with a close friend about communication within a relationship, or maybe more the lack of it. But the lack of words does not mean that somebody is not communicating. Silence can hold a lot of words and meaning in both a positive or a negative way.
I put the text on the front but in a small font to express the silence.

Both the use of words or silence can be powerful means of expressing yourself.

MOCA Audience's Choice Recipient

On April 14, 2010 I did a presentation at the MOCA in Miami for the program "5 minutes of fame"?

My 5 minutes are being extended because I was chosen by the audience as the "Audience's Choice Recipient. And that results in one of my paintings being published on MOCA's website.

I am so freaking thrilled with that!

Thank you everybody who voted for me in April and who supported me.

Transitions

At first - when I started working on these paintings - I wanted to create a series about people trying to find their balance in life. I got the idea when watching an old man, who could barely walk, literally swinging from one pole in the bus to the next until he reached the door. He was more in balance than the rest of us.

Nowadays a lot of people struggle with their balance in life and I am no stranger to that at times. But while working on the paintings, it seemed that they became more personal. I wasn't sure how or why but every time I looked at my work, it was as if I was telling myself something.

After a while it hit me: it was about me. I was the portrait of my transition from Holland to the US. Don't get me wrong, I have not regretted my move what so ever, but it did have an impact on me. I left my family, friends and my life as I knew it behind to start all over again.

The paintings are not sad - with their vivid bright colors - and it shows me finding a new balance here. Each one of them is a step towards the future. If you click here you can see the Transition paintings.

Click here if you want to know more about the presentation at the MOCA in North Miami.

5 MINUTES OF FAME

On April 14 I will be presenting my work at 5 MINUTES OF FAME at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in North Miami.

This is a series that is part of MOCA by Moonlight programming, allows local artists to explain how and why they create their art.

Although I am nervous (this is a complete understatement), I am also very excited about this opportunity.

Nudes

Getting Ready (12" x 12" oil on canvas)

I love the human body. I love how the light creates this beautiful effects on the skin and more so to capture that in my paintings.
By the way, each body is so unique and especially when you look at the skin tones. For me it is really fun to work with that.

Not only do I paint the female nudes but also the male. Now I know that many consider the male body not as beautiful (to paint) as the female. Perhaps the female nude is more accepted nowadays, but I find that the male nude is equally as beautiful as the female body.

Future (12" x 12" oil on canvas)

And even though the female body is celebrated for its round shapes, I find that the male body has many of the same beauty.

If you are interested to see more of my nudes, please click here.

Fresh from the Fridge (2009)

When I knew I would have a solo at the Focaccia Rustica in Coconut Grove, I also realised that this would not be the place to hang nudes. It is after all a family restaurant. And this implied that I had to come up with a new body of work. To be honest, I went blank at first. For days I stared at two empty canvases and all that came to mind were nudes.

One afternoon my partner asked me why I didn't start painting and I replied: "Paint what? I have no other subject on my mind than nudes."

He suggested to go out and look around the house, to see if anything would inspire me. But I am not a plein air artist - ok, I never tried it and the large amount of hungry, bloodsucking mosquitoes outside doesn't make it very inviting for me to try a landscape out there.


Then he said to me: "Why don't you look in the kitchen, maybe there is something in there that will give you ideas."

And so I did, not that I am normally so obedient, but I was blank and he tried to help me. I opened the fridge... nothing yet, no celestial flash of inspiration. Then I opened the vegetable drawer in the fridge and I saw a variety of fruits and vegetables, each with their own colours and shapes... and there it was... my source of inspiration: Fresh from the Fridge.

To see all the paintings from this series, please click here.