Valta's Blog | valta.nl

  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 . 

Zomer Vol Kunst, 2025 Edition photo credit: amelandinbeeld.nl For the third consecutive season, the Amelander Musea and the Amelander Kunstenaars are collaborating on the exhibition "Zomer Vol Kunst" (Summer Full of Art) at the Amelander Cultuurmuseum in Nes. This year, the museum's exhibition has been expanded to include new themes such as island traditions and cultural events, alongside a selection of beautiful paintings and graphic artworks from the museum's collections.  I am delighted to participate once again in the temporary group show of the Amelander Kunstenaars at the museum with my piece "Downstairs XIII" (aka the " Sewing Girl in Anchers Hus "). I am also proud to have contributed to the organisation of the show and to have taken part in the new interior design and arrangements for the permanent exhibitions at the museum.     

Back to landscape   I have long wanted to paint a seascape again. Recently, I found an old beach access photo in my archive that even features horses and riders. I decided to omit some details, including the people in the photograph, to create a calmer composition. The scene is very recognisable for the Dutch coast and especially for our island, which is also home to over five hundred domestic horses. Well, I'm quite pleased with the result. Paardenmeisjes. Oil on canvas board 30 x 40 cm. View the finished painting in my  gallery . 

Four Artists Exhibition The fourth edition of the annual Three-Day Art Show at Stalhuus in Hollum attracted a nice and significant crowd. Once again, we welcomed over 300 interested visitors, which is quite impressive for a weekend in a small village.  This year, I was pleased to invite and showcase artworks by Klaas Nobel , featuring his most recent landscapes and wonderful etchings; Mathilda van der Weij , renowned for her fabulous illuminations and calligraphy; and Kayleigh Gwen , who displayed marvellous historical costumes. I myself presented sixteen paintings from my series Hands' Private Life . Happy with the lovely reactions and interest from visitors.  Here are some impression photos of the event: