Artist in residence

Peru, China, Latvia, Japan

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2019 Sachaqa Centro de Arte

In September 2019 I was invited to stay at the Sachaqa artist in residence in Peru. It was an amazing experience to live on the treshold of the Peruvian Amazon. At the centre I learnt how to find and make pigments from local natural sources.

Patio 1, 2019, 12×9 cm, watercolour on Arches paper

Patio 2, 2019, 12×9 cm, watercolour on Arches paper

Tribune, 2019, 12×9 cm, watercolour on Arches paper

Amazon, 2019, 12×9 cm, watercolour on Arches paper

2019 Jardin Orange

Also, in 2019, I was invited to stay at the Jardin Orange artist in residence in China. I was really impressed by the Chinese culture. During my stay I made three acrylic paintings on commission. For these paintings I was inspired by the neighbourhood, just beyond the trendy area where I resided .

Broken chair 1, 2019, 120×100 cm, acrylics on canvas

Broken chair 2, 2019, 120×100 cm, acrylics on canvas

Broken chair 3, 2019, 120×100 cm, acrylics on canvas

2018 2nd International Plein Air VALDIS BUŠS

For me, artist in residences are a great opportunity to try other techniques and approaches. In 2018 I had the chance to experiment with watercolours at the 2nd International Plein Air VALDIS BUŠS in Latvia. It was the first time for me to paint outside. I really liked this, because I feel more closer to the subject.
Regarding these two watercolours I was fascinated by the triangular shaped poles for overhead power cables.

Triangle 1, 2018, 50×70 cm, watercolour on Canson paper

Triangle 2, 2018, 50×70 cm, watercolour on Canson paper

2014 Art studio itsukaichi

2014 was the consecutive year that I went to Japan to participate in an artist in residency. I lived with two Japanese artists above the studio on the slope of a hill. These two prints are based on the view from the 'shoji windows' in the livingroom.

Tokura 2, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 61×92 cm (mokuhanga/woodcut)

Tokura 3, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 61×92 cm (mokuhanga/woodcut)

Art studio itsukaichi

Tokura gakkou 1, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (linocut)

Tokura gakkou 4, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (linocut)

Tokyo subway 1, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (linocut)

Tokyo subway 2, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (linocut)

Tokyo subway 3, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (linocut)

Hinohara niwa 3, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (mokuhanga/woodcut)

Hinohara niwa 4, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (mokuhanga/woodcut)

Hinohara niwa 5, 2014, linseed oil ink on kozo paper, 25×25 cm (mokuhanga/woodcut)

Art studio itsukaichi

Konbini 2, 2014, litho ink on kozo paper, 28,5 x63 cm (linocut)

Art studio itsukaichi

Tokura 4, 2014, litho ink on kozo paper, 63 x28,5 cm (linocut)

Konbini 1, 2014, litho ink on kozo paper, 63 x28,5 cm (linocut)

2013 Mino paper art village

My first artist in residence was in 2013 in Japan. I stayed with a lovely family where I got to experience Japanese life up close. The city Mino is famous for its Edo period merchant houses in the city centre, and also for its traditional handmade paper. During the residency I had the amazing chance to learn more about the paper and to make it myself.

Akari art festival

For the annual lantern festival the old streets of Mino are lined up with paper lanterns. I made a lantern from the thinnest paper called 'tengujoushi'.

Outside, 2013, width 90 cm, tengujoushi, aluminium frame, wood and a fluorescent tube

Mino paper art village

Initially I wanted to paint the traditional architecture of Mino, but as I was wandering through the city centre what truly fascinated me were the modern structures in between. I painted these on handmade coloured pulp paper (made by myself) that were mounted on 'makura byoubu', a pillow screen. In the middle is a paper lantern box.

Fall installation, 2013, three painted makura byoubu and a paper lantern on tatami mats

Fall 1, 2013, Japanese pigment on handmade paper mounted on
makura byoubu, 45x180cm

Fall 3, 2013, Japanese pigment on handmade paper mounted on
makura byoubu, 45x180cm