The Studio window

From my studio window I look out onto the vegetable patch. You see the seasons passing by. There are also some fruit trees and at the moment the apple tree is in full blossom. So I decided to give it a go and paint this tree.

I made a composition and this is the process half way.

I have now finished it, but am debating with myself whether I should put some pencil or crayon marks on it. Or maybe do something else to it, I think I am going to look at Van Gogh's paintings and learn from them. The process continues...

Hi

 Hello, just a short message, and face, from me. I had fun with some torn paper again and made this funny face from leftovers. It makes me smile to see it in my sketchbook. Have a good day and keep making and enjoying ART!

This Friday my studio is open, 11-16 hours. 

Good times making

 I spend some time working on two canvases, two Scandinavian landscapes. I took my paint and brushes, selected my compositions and just started. It is just good to focus and make. But many shades of green though... I adjusted a couple of times, but had fun.

When and what

 These pages are asking me: what is it gonna be? Make up your mind... I am just waiting for the right focus to draw something, and with a zillion things to do it is kind of difficult.

A different skill

 Learning something new is always interesting. This time I learned how to make a Sami-inspired bracelet of soft leather and silver decorations. The Sami people are living in the north of Scandinavia and are very creative. 

It was so nice to be busy and make something. Of course the materials you need were provided for. Working this small is a bit fiddly at first (hence we made a finger protection first...). Luckily my needle and thread skills came in handy :). But hey look at the result:

The course was part of the programme by Siegurd bushcraft and survival. They have multiple craft courses available.

Working on another design

 In my studio I have been working on a design for a new card. This is my first try, using watercolours. I think I will try again with acrylics and see the difference. Sometimes it takes a while to get it right... so just keep going ;).

New work

Making hours in the studio are almost always well spent. The joy of making and finishing with an end result, I like it! I will have another look at these four small artworks and then make them into finished paintings. Have a nice week, make something if you can!

 

Studio creative time

 I was in the mood for some fun and colour. So I took some paint and made playful marks, to see what would happen, and it ended with 4 small art works in cheerful colours :).

Have a nice week, I hope to spend more time in the studio.

A painting by Co Breman

 Ah, I am looking back on a nice week with people visiting my studio and celebrating 15 years of creativity. Most of them know me for some time so they know the road I took. To see my process and share it with them was very nice.

I also went to a favorite museum of mine: Singer Laren, and I'd like to share this happy painting with you. It is made by Co Breman in 1915. It represents a square with its famous cafe and church. This square has been painted a lot because there was an active group of painters in this village (hence the museum). Once I was at the same square with the assignment from the academy to paint it. Wow, for me it was difficult. So much was happening: the high trees, the intricate houses, the shadows, I was overwhelmed. It did not turn out to my satisfaction. So when I saw this painting in the museum I thought: hey look what he has made, and how beautiful is this! It definitely brings some sunshine into the room.

15 years

 This Saturday my studio and creative company will exist for 15 years! I am not one for numbers and it is easy to just let this pass, but I decided to take a moment and celebrate. These weeks I have been looking back at old work, at the list of activities, the nice encounters and just the process of it all. For the first time I made a picture book with a lot of my work in it.

Focusing on developing my creativity has brought me a lot. Learning techniques, learning about art and history, finding your own path in it all and to spend actual time making and exploring. There have been uncertain times, or times without a lot of energy and I went through it all. An interesting thing I learned is that creativity opens up your senses. Your focus is on looking, listening and trying to use that in your drawing or painting. Another thing is to just start, start making, drawing. Creativity often brings surprises, unexpected things occur in your artwork. You would not have found those if you did not just start.

I will go on, using my creativity in my artwork. I hope to inspire and be inspired by others.

Just a short notice for this week

 

No drawing a day

 Hello, it is the first of February and normally my project a drawing a day would start, but I decided to skip this year. I have got the flu and a severe headache so even drawing is a bit too much. It'll be just my weekly blogs then. I do want to share some artwork I made recently, I really like the result and it was so much fun to make, placing layer upon layer:

They are two small works on paper, and they are available for 50 euro in my ETSY-shop, look here.

Busy...

 It was a busy week, with working for somebody else. Pretty tired but woke up early so we went to see the sunrise and it was worth it:

The process

In December I worked on a small size portrait, here you see some steps of the process. I always start with charcoal sketching (or sometimes straight on with acrylics). I decided to change the background colour, which I find more suiting to the character. I always tweak a bit in the end, looking at dark and light, but then I finish it or it would loose its spontaneous touch.

 

Start of the New Year

 Hello, and best wishes for this new year, I am wishing you peace and happiness and lots of ART inspiration. I have spent the first days of 2024 in the Alps and some days were moody like this:

But I just went out and about anyway, it is part of the charm of winter. We were with family and we hiked, ate cheese fondue, went skiing and I read a couple of books. I drew a little bit but mostly reflected on the past year and on what lies ahead. I am looking forward to finish some of the paintings, to challenge myself to some new techniques, to celebrate my 15 years of being a creative entrepreneur (!) and to just enjoy ART and making. I am also looking forward to making new contacts and finding more spaces where I can sell my work, be it wholesale, gallery's or markets. So, if you have tips, please contact me.