The beauty of life as the foundation for my artistic expression

Vision

My goal is to express the beauty of our world through my work, both by creating and by sharing the ideas and background of my creations in my lectures. Space plays a central role in this. As a painter, I am aware that I create illusory space; I often explore the boundary with physical space to merge the illusion in the artwork and reality into a single whole. The ultimate is when the viewer actively participates in the artwork.
It is my intention to add value, enrich the spatial experience, and bring joy. For me, an image goes beyond aesthetics: it must surprise, fascinate, and open new perspectives.

Imagination

My primary tools are my computer and camera, with which I – like artists of the past – explore the boundaries of reality through experiments. I am inspired by Renaissance painters, who used perspective to depict the world as we see it, and by early 20th-century abstract artists, such as Mondrian, who expressed their inner experience of that same world. Additionally, the American philosopher Ken Wilber has encouraged me to approach the concept of space in a more integral way.
The interplay between reality and illusion fascinates me: how can image and reality communicate with each other or even become one? Can this interaction create a kinder and more inspiring experience for people? How can we thus have a positive impact on both individuals and their environment? These are questions I continue to explore with my collaborators and clients, through which I seek to convey hope and inspiration.

My story

At the age of eighteen, I left school and, together with my then boyfriend, took over a bankrupt publishing company. Through hard work, we grew it into a successful business with three free local newspapers focused on positive news in the poorer neighborhoods of The Hague. After years of flourishing, I gradually found myself lacking long-term prospects to continue experiencing my life path as meaningful and to take further steps in it.

After fourteen years, I made a pivotal decision: I went on a sabbatical to Florence and decided to leave the publishing company behind. This step marked the beginning of an entirely new phase in my life.

Seeking personal growth, movement, and development, I decided to return to school. In 2004, I was admitted to the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (KABK), an experience I regarded as a gift from the universe. In 2009, I graduated with my 3D artwork Caleidoscopia.

This marked the start of my new life as a visual artist. To my great joy, interest in my work grew, including in Italy, a country with which I feel deeply connected. In 2015, I was surprised to receive an invitation to participate in an international exhibition during the Venice Biennale. Over the following years, I spent most of my time in Venice, where I built a new life, met new people, and discovered a new language and culture that enriched my life. The independent thinker from the Netherlands was already within me, but in Italy, the artist of life was born.

I now combine the experiences from both worlds in my work and life.