Classical & topical
Studio – Teaching – Engagement – Publications
In the twenty-first century, the search for synthesis intensified. In addition to the art of painting, I looked – more than ever – for merging art content. I found a connection with ‘Symbolism’ (the play with hidden meanings), a style that played a leading role at the turn of the last century. For example in Saint George and the Dragon (commissioned by Staal bankers) and projects such as ‘The Great Panorama of Callosa d’en Sarria’.
Studio
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Saint George
A commission for a diptych ‘St. George and the Dragon’ (2 paintings 200 x 160) for Staalbankiers, The Hague, is followed up with exhibitions at all the bank’s branches.
Exotic music
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A stay in Arezzo at the same time showed me how Piero della Francesco paints angels. It makes me wonder: how do you combine the physical with the ethereal idea, the earthly with the heavenly?
In other words, how do you paint music?
This was soon expanded to include another popular theme from the ‘Belle Époque’: the female nude – and the Orient also returns in it.
This is how everything comes together, old and new, the second and third dimension, east and west and classical values in a modern light.
And in between I paint family portraits
The Great Panorama of Callosa d’en Sarria
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A stay as Artist in Residence in Callosa d’en Sarria (Fundacion Cultural ‘Knecht-Drenth) led to ‘The Great Panorama of Callosa d’en Sarria’.
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Drawing/graphics/comics
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When painting nudes, it goes without saying that the study of the model is part of the process.
Due to copd, I have to stop etching.
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Plein air
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Italy
Pyrenees
France
Spain
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Teaching
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1 November 2004 I register the VOF ‘Classical Academy’ at the Chamber of Commerce, a few months later I turn it into a foundation. In September, the ‘Classical Academy for Painting’ in Groningen starts. Although heavily burdened with investments, it turns out to be a success right from the start. It is set up as a five-year course: three years of professional training, followed by two years of Master’s study in a fairly strict teaching structure, but at the same time with a great deal of freedom for the (finally) 25 artists hired as teachers.
Practical classroom
Theory classroom
The ‘Rijksacademie’ offers us a collection of plaster casts: a separate room is set aside for them.
Glyptothek
I myself teach figure study and anatomy in the preparatory course and perspective studies in the first year.
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Engagement
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I organised a number of events for the Classical Academy: in 2007 ‘Classical on 10’ in ten northern galleries; in 2008 ‘The Amazement of the North’ with 50 artists in the ‘old’ Groninger Museum (later the Nature Museum); in 2009 ‘Classical in Romanticism’ in seven northern galleries.
From 2006-’08 I am a member of the jury of the ‘Jeanne Bieruma Oostingprijs’ (2008 chairman and curator of the exhibition of the prize winners in the museum Kranenburgh in Bergen).
Publications
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Click here to open PDF: The Great Panorama of Callosa d’en Sarria
Click here to open PDF: Saint George and the dragon
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Video
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Video: Breaking news on Dutch tv
Video: Classical Academy
Video: The amazement of the North