When I first came in contact with the art of etching, it was a true revelation. It seemed to me to be the sublimation of drawing. I learned the technique from the Dutch artist Willemien Holterman, in her course 'Etching and colour etching' from 1996 to 2002. I had always loved drawing, but had not pursued a professional career in art. But the richness and the extensive possibilities of the etching technique opened new perspectives and inspired me to develop my artistic skills and aspirations. In 2002 I started my own studio. I sold my work in Galerie Holterman in Holten (2004-2006) and Kunsthandel Zuijderwal in Harlingen (2004-2007), on art fairs and by word-of mouth publicity. I also organised small exhibitions (for example in Olst Town Hall 2005). Besides I did some work on commission.
In etching, the lining can be incredibly fine - I draw with a sewing needle, while keeping the casual aspect of a sketch. The image is drawn in a dark brown varnish on a zinc or copper plate. The possibilities of correction are very limited. Because the lining is so very fine, it is not easy to discern the drawn image. One has to choose between: preparing the image and copying it precisely onto the plate, or simply draw freehand almost 'blindfolded'. The latter suits me best.
Nature: landscapes and animals, have always inspired me. My homeland is a flat country with a delicate horizon domed by an immense sky filled with ever moving clouds. Finely drawn horizontal and diagonal lines reign the low fields.
The line etching, the pure drawing, has always been the root of my work, but I soon began to explore other techniques such as aquatint and vernis-mou. With aquatint one can create tones of grey-black or colour, which can give more depth to the image. I spend a lot of time in my work space just experimenting. It's only by trial and error that one can arrive at mastering the etching process. Learning never ends. However, for me the experiment always serves the result I want to achieve: the final image. It is the means to an end, not a goal in itself.
In 2007 I left The Netherlands and my artistic activities, to embark on a nomadic life. After several years of travel I settled in France. With my companion I now live in the Auvergne region, in the mountains of the Massif Central.
Here, it is not the sky that dominates. No thin lines beneath a low horizon. Here it is the land itself that embraces. Spring can give the sensation of living in a colour. So very intense is its green. Vast surfaces of deep blue in shades of dark purple or tender blueish grey compose an ever changing horizon.
It took some time for my eyes to get used to this overwhelming landscape, before I found the inspiration to take up drawing and etching again. Today I would like to invite you to take a look at my portfolio, which contains some old work and some new.
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