Valta's Blog | valta.nl

  Suddenly I was truly surprised, and of course, extremely happy and proud to receive exciting news this week: the Amelander Musea Foundation has decided to acquire five of my paintings for their permanent museum collection. Two of these paintings were already on loan at the Museum Sorgdrager in Hollum, while the other three will be on display at the Museum Swartwoude in Buren.  I encourage everyone to visit all these museums - there are nine locations in total - when on the island of Ameland! The acquired paintings: Downstairs VII , 2024, oil on panel Bij Sorgdrager , 2021, acrylic on canvas Island Sheep I , 2022, oil on canvas board  Island Sheep IV , 2023, oil on canvas Island Sheep V , 2023, oil on cardboard

Practising portraiture again After feeling content and reassured about my portrait of Hettie , I was delighted to hear that Bart was also willing to sit for me as a model for a portrait study. It's not often that one is fortunate enough to have people willing to spend their precious time on something like modelling for portrait studies.  This time, I had to try to arrange the setting and the pose of my model. I wanted the painting to tell a story that would differ from just being an image of a person. I was definitely keen on including Bart's hands to support this narrative. Bart bravely accepted and patiently endured the challenge, which led to a pleasant and relaxed session. Although I am not entirely satisfied with the final result - I unexpectedly struggled with aspects such as likeness, foreshortening, and the colours and texture of background and clothing - I still found the exercise fulfilling. And again, I've learned a lot. I truly enjoyed painting the hands. And I ...

Back to still life, landscape, etc.   The third season of the improvised Art Lovers Club began in October. This year, I aim not only to share my experiences by discussing what I've learned, but also to provide demonstrations during our sessions.   As usual, we started with a brief introduction to composition and colours. After that, we began with still life, and then we moved on to landscapes. We are also planning to include figure painting, which will feature both humans and animals. Finally, we will work on some master copies and self-portraits.   I will post the studies and paintings I create during our meetings here. "The ride to Nes. Showers". Oil on canvas 20 x 20 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery .  "De wakers". Oil on canvas board 30 x 30 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery .  "Lonely Tree". Oil on canvas 19 x 30 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery .  Pears and Terracotta. Oil on canvas 24 x 3...

The November Show This year, I am exhibiting my work for the eighth time at the Kunstmaand Art Show within the artistic group of Amelander Kunstenaars . I am pleased to participate with six interiors and still lifes .

On with practising portraiture  I've become increasingly interested in painting portraits and figures, especially after attending a workshop with Rogier Willems . To practice what I've learned, I needed models. I was delighted when a friend agreed to sit for me, so on a chilly October morning, we arranged a short live session. It's a great way to learn, and I’m grateful to Hettie for her time, patience, and the feedback she provided later in the process. When working with a live model, making quick decisions is essential, as no one can sit for you endlessly. I had to consider the setting, pose, lighting, and composition all at once. This is something I need to practice more. Now that this portrait study is finished, I realise I would probably choose a different composition. Initially, I did not plan to paint the hands, but I eventually decided to include one hand, and then changed my mind to include both. In the end, I didn't have a proper reference photograph for that....

  Ameland Views on the Walls of the Artist's Home  A couple of weeks ago, I received a very special commission from the Eiland van Verhalen . The client requested that I design a background decoration for their stage show - a kind of illustration that would combine the iconic views of all four villages on the island. The final piece needed to be in a certain proportion, as it will be printed on a screen measuring 4 by 2.3 meters. I proposed the idea of creating a "paintings painting", featuring the interior of an island house adorned with paintings on the walls, each one depicting recognisable landmarks from the villages. This idea appealed to me as it presented a nice challenge and an opportunity to create a genuine painting. The client agreed that it was an interesting concept.  I had five weeks to complete the commission. Paul and I went across the island, taking hundreds of photographs for reference. I decided to use the interior of our own home as the compositional t...

A day at the workshop Happy to meet and work under the guidance of the great master of portraiture, Rogier Willems , in his studio alongside nine other brilliant artists. Learned a lot throughout the day. A huge thanks to Halina and Mireille for bringing me here; it truly was a lovely experience. The result: En Profile . Oil on canvas board 50 x 40 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery .

  Online Exhibition I am pleased to share that my works have been accepted for the Almenara Online Exhibition 2025 , even though I was not a finalist. The Online Exhibition takes place from September 1 to November 30. Feel free to visit it on the Almenara Collection website and enjoy the artwork of selected wonderful artists from 67 countries.  You can find my paintings in the categories of Figurative, Wildlife and Animal, and Still Life. Enjoy the art!

Summer Evening at Ameland Beach For quite some time, I had an idea to paint a female figure strolling with a dog on the beach during the golden hour. My inspiration was probably even more heightened during my last year's visit to the Skagens Museum , where I admired the seascapes by Peder Severin Krøyer and Michael Ancher in person. Well, all I needed was the right beach at the right time, along with some models. And counting my blessings, the southwest shore of our island, known for its glorious sunsets, is just around the corner. And I am especially grateful to our neighbour, Jennifer, and her graceful Weimaraner, Vito, for kindly agreeing to be my models. So we agreed to wait for a clear evening before heading out for a beach stroll. My models were doing a great job, and I could take plenty of photographs to use as references for my painting.  I had once created a small painting using a counterlight effect, and I liked the process. Now, I wanted to apply what I had learned to a...

  Another summer show Some exciting news! Two of my paintings, which capture details of the exterior and interior of the historic Sorgdrager House, have been selected by the Amelander Musea for a summer exhibition at the Sorgdrager Museum. I am very proud to have my work represented there with pieces titled " Bij Sorgdrager " and " Downstairs VII ". more soon   

A Gorgeous Sitter   I finally completed a portrait study of Paul. It began with a sketch I made a few weeks ago, and after putting in several hours of work today, I finally felt satisfied with the result. I hope to paint more portraits of this sitter in the future. Paul . Oil on cardboard 19 x 25 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery .