Next Saturday May 30, my exhibition at Suite Gallery in Loenen aan de Vecht will get started. My newest paintings will be shown, together with art-photography of Karen Kaper. I've delivered my paintings so I'm ready for take off now!
I already had a lot of positive reactions on the series of small paintings in the series 'Panoramic', 'Sign of the times', 'Landscapes' and 'Passage' and now I've started a new series the 'Pop-up'-series.... maybe more about that next time.
The use of garbage in art is wellknown. Recycling is a good thing, so why not use garbage or old things to create art? One thing is for sure: we've got LOTS of garbage!At Studio Hergebruik in Rotterdam, you can buy creations of artists and designers who used old and broken things which would normally have ended on the rubbish dump. I think this is a great initiative. For example: Artist Iri5 makes art out of old cassettes and Matthijs Vogels makes bowls made of leek waste, coffee or tea, etc... There are so many possibilities and it starts to itch heavily when I think about all the creations I would like to make... I think I'd have to divide myself in at least 4 Esthers if I wanted to produce all of the ideas flying through my head.
Jimi Hendrickx, made by Iri5, courtesy of Iri5Platform 21 has made a 'repair manifesto': "Things should be designed so that they can be repaired". "Don't ditch it, stitch it". They prevent the recycling because if you repair it, recycling isn't even necessary. If you want to read it all www.platform21.nl Good initiative! 
courtesy of Platform 21You can also use a complete rubbish dump to make a statement, like I saw at 'Palais de Tokyo' in Paris last year. (a very nice museum!) 
Trash in Palais de Tokyo, Aug. 2008, Paris
Yesterday I went to the opening of the final exhibition of Chloé who's in her 6th and last year on secondary school, specification graphics. Each student had to make a campaign for the municipality of Overpelt (where her school is located). The assignment was to make a clear campaign to stimulate people to throw their garbage in the trash can, not on the ground (like, it's unbelievable, a lot of people do ????????). The exhibition took place in old sea-containers on the market place and also there was an exhibition in the school from the art-department. I was really surprised by the great ideas and concepts from the talented students. The municipality is actually going to make a choice out of the campaigns. 
Chloé (right) and a classmate in front of a train made by cans (project of another classmate)
'nayika eye keeper', 100x160 cm Ton Mertens, courtesy of Delfi Form and Ton MertensYesterday I had to make a long trip through the small Netherlands. 'Long' because travelling in the Netherlands is really aweful. One traffic jam after another... I like driving, but I hate it when you have to stop for about a 100.000 times! Feels like we're living in/on an anthill.First I went to Gallery Delfi Form in Zwolle to bring new work. The gallery director, Jan Buizer, runs his gallery for about 2 decades and is a real connoisseur!I like his gallery very much. It's located in the ancient heart of Zwolle. He really has got a beautiful collection and works with great artists. I'm very happy that my art makes part of his collection.At this moment there's an exhibition of the paintings of Ton Mertens... Wow, this artist has not only got a lot of imagination, but he knows exactly how to reproduce it on canvas. If you want to read more:http://www.delfiform.nl/kunstenaar/7/ton-mertens/Sorry, it's only available in Dutch. If you want to visit the exhibition it lasts untill June 4. Also Delfi Form always has paintings in stock.Next I went to Naarden, which is near Amsterdam to deliver new paintings to the Warnars-brothers, Arnold and Bernard. Arnold immediately installed small paintings of the series: "Sign of the times" in the display window.
Warnars & Warnars is located in the centre of the lovely Naarden-Vesting (the old fortress is still there), close to 'Het Arsenaal' of the famous designer Jan des Bouvrie. They've got a long history, are very enthusiastic and represent old and contemporary artists, classic and modern. I like very much the work of Jan Scholten. He's a contemporary painter and his paintings (Dutch landscapes, but you've never seen them before in the way he makes them) are as beautiful in a classic design as in a super modern environment.For more info watch http://www.warnars-warnars.nl
The start of my exhibition at Gallery ART-ist in Geel has been a success. There has been sold, there are some options and the amount of people who came to the opening weekend and their reactions on the show were great. Frans and Nicole, the gallery owners, are very satisfied with the result. It brought a lot of new visitors as well! It was very nice meeting the people who had already bought one or more of my paintings and those who are so enthusiastic about my work. It gives me lots of positive energy to hear and see what my work means to someone.
When I am in the middle of starting a project, a new series of paintings etc... I'm not there. I'm there physically but in my head I'm somewhere else. And I'm restless, very restless.
When I am in that state of being, I'm not the nicest company in the world. I have trouble sleeping, or I even dream about the new idea and I don't feel comfortable.
Next I start worrying. In my head the painting or series of paintings are already made... but then I have to make it real, put the paint on canvas. What if I do not succeed? What if the paintings cannot be made like I've seen them in my head? There is a decrease of my self esteem... I start wondering if I will even be able to make another good painting ever again.... This has its negative effect on my work, so I have to get over my doubts. I can only do that by taking a few days off or just start to paint. Sometimes I waste a canvas. It's a pity. I have to pick up myself, talk some sense into myself... and then... suddenly I realize that 'it' is back. I'm never aware of that at the very moment, but always afterwards.
That is one way...I also have days that I'm totally relaxed. I start painting without doubts, without thoughts, just painting, I forget everything, I forget me ... and at the end of the day I'm surprised by what I have made and I wonder if it was really me who created it.
The next day I still wonder...
Sometimes I start a new painting and when the beginning is okay, I can dance through the day. It's like the painting paints itself.The only similarity is that either way I lose track of time, and because I ignore my physical signals, it sometimes exhausts me. Yesterday and the day before.. and the day before I felt so tired.... that is why today I did nothing but enjoying the beautiful weather, reading, sleeping and contemplating. It helped... I feel great! Tomorrow it's time to start with a new painting... again!
