Watching life through a lens

Watching life through a lens, 50x20x4 cm | 20x8x1,5 inch

Another painting in the Girls in Paint series is ready.
It is a small painting, but it is so detailed, that it took me a long time to finish it.
The model is sitting on her pink cloud, watching life through a lens. Everything looks so promising and beautiful to her...
On the hunt for positivity in the tormented world we live in, with spring in the air, this little painting makes my life a little more beautiful.

It was a good intention to shut myself off, of the rest of the world... but completely impossible because of the horrible tragedy which has hit my hometown.
Every parent's nightmare: 22 children and 6 adults (15 children -from a class of 22 - and 2 adults were from my hometown Lommel) - died Tuesday in a touring-car accident in Switzerland. 24 injured and traumatized for the rest of their lives.
Terrible!! The grief is like a blanket over the city. Today at 11 o'clock a minute's silence out of respect for the victims and their families and the flags are at half mast throughout the day. My thoughts are with the relatives.
Every day I understand less about life... if we do not shut ourselves off every now and then, we could easily get crazy. Looking for the positive side of life... and their are dozens of positive sides.... let's not forget that.
But today it is time to gireve.

Immerse in paint

Back to work, in stead of worrying about the world... this feels soooo much better.
I'd best shut myself off, of the rest of the world, and stay in my own beautiful environment.
'Life is what you make it', I always say, so I'd better stick to my own words and conviction.
And hey... spring is in the air!! Yeeehaaaa!

Esther Barend has decided to protect the Earth!!!

Would it be a good idea to join the 'save the planet - publicity stunt hype' which is ruling our media?

Every self respecting brand nowadays announces to protect the oceans (Davidoff Cool Water), save the Filipino Crocodile (Lacoste) or reduce carbon dioxide emissions (L'Oreal). This is just a small selection of what I read in the media during the last week.
Those brands are so fulfilled by their own benefactor-act that they use it as a marketing tool, hoping more people will choose for their brand because of their good heart. I even dare to claim that some of them picked a good cause on purpose, with the aim to serve as a publicity stunt!
I'd say this is just a lot of bragging, automanipulation, look what a great brand/company/person I am... everyone should buy MY products!!

I wonder if more people would buy my paintings if I'd announce that I've been reducing carbon dioxide emissions for ages, only eat meat once a week, have reduced water-usage to a minimum, am not a big consumer, take the bike instead of the car whenever I can, donate a large amount of money to the Red Cross every year and although I already apply sustainable energy when- and wherever I can, I have decided to become even more sustainable????
Nahhhhhh, I don't think so!

Sources:
http://www.basenotes.net/content/1056-Davidoff-Cool-Water-to-Partner-National-Geographic-Society-Pristine-Seas-Programme
http://www.mabuwaya.org/index.cfm?p=FF6A11E6-DD6F-66C2-42E5874FDDB529EC
http://www.wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/retailing/loral-italia-introduces-a-zero-emissions-project-5760410

I'm tired feeling miserable

I've been ill for 4 days now and I'm really fed up with it already. I NEVER have a cold and it has been decades since I last had the flu... It seems like it's coming out now all at once. I am way too impatient to just lie, sit, lie, sleep, read, watch tv, check FB, and do nothing else than sneezing and coughing and feeling miserable all the time, but I decided to surrender to it. Well.... There is not much else to choose from. Also... since I'm never ill and there are MUCH worse things in life, I don't have anything to complain about! Anyway I tell myself that it has a purpose, and although I really believe it does, I hope I feel better very soon. This is soooo boring and tiring. ....  And there's a painting waiting for me to be finished.

My art in CATAPULT Art Magazine

Check this link:

http://issuu.com/catapultartm/docs/catapult_0312.v7?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222

And take your time, because there is a lotttt to discover.

Enjoy it!