Category: Behind the art
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A LITERARY RESPONSE
Read more: A LITERARY RESPONSEA literary reflection by author Karin Melis on the recurring figure of the hare in Leonoor Ruigrok’s work, and how this once-hidden figure gradually found its way back into her artistic practice.
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When nature comes memory
Read more: When nature comes memoryA landscape changes in memory. Colours intensify, forms disappear and sometimes atmosphere remains more clearly than the actual place.
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The same painting, a different presence
Read more: The same painting, a different presenceHow much can a room change the way we experience a painting? Using *Promise of Spring* in different interior settings, I explore how wall colour, light, placement and surrounding space can completely change a painting’s presence.
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Who Started the Fire?
Read more: Who Started the Fire?Who started the fire? At some point, nobody knows. That sentence stayed with me after looking at Firestarter, a painting from my Dreamland series. There is a dark figure moving through a layered landscape. A soft sky above. Darker ground below. Somewhere in the painting, a small house-like form seems to glow. But the work…
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A Small Form That Remains
Read more: A Small Form That RemainsA small oil painting, a house-like form almost hidden in the landscape. In “Shelter”, colour, texture and movement gather around a form that remains quietly present.
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How a Painting Develops in my Studio
Read more: How a Painting Develops in my StudioMy work begins in what I see and feel, and first takes shape in sketches. From there, the process unfolds through layers, material and time. Images emerge gradually, shifting and forming as I move from first sketches and charcoal studies towards painting.
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Selecting Work for the Archive
Read more: Selecting Work for the ArchiveA glimpse into my outdoor studio, where I revisit paintings from different periods, discover connections between works and select pieces for my studio archive.
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How I Determine the Price of a Work
Read more: How I Determine the Price of a WorkHow do I determine the price of a painting? A look at how materials, time, format and consistency shape the pricing of my work, from the studio to the gallery.
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art in the Snow — Behind the Scenes
Read more: art in the Snow — Behind the ScenesSnow had covered the bulb fields around our home. Even the water had a layer of snow on it, which I gently pushed aside with the paddle as we crossed in our little boat. Normally, we use this boat to reach our piece of land with the dogs. But that morning, my daughter and I…
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What will 2026 bring?
Read more: What will 2026 bring?A new year, new art plans. From curated exhibitions and collaborations to France and the Icelandic Houses series, I share my hopes and ambitions for 2026.
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When a Story Chooses an Image
Read more: When a Story Chooses an ImageWriter Karin Melis chose my mixed-media work Noordwijk Breath to accompany one of her stories. A personal reflection on our different ways of observing, feeling and creating.
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Morning walk
Read more: Morning walkEarly morning walks with the dogs bring back memories of growing up among the bulb fields of the Dutch Bollenstreek. A reflection on winter, the quiet life beneath the soil and a temporary pause in painting.