Skip to main content

Posts

Foxtrot

Old fashioned  Painting this one was a valuable learning experience. I realize now that it was quite silly of me to try and paint people from fantasy again, without a real reference. Although I was content with the man's pose (Paul posed for me for the man's figure), I had to repaint that woman's head multiple times - at least three, I believe. Initially, she was blond and innocent, which made the whole scene obnoxiously sweet. Then, she became a drama queen, but that version lacked joy in her dance. In the end, I feel I finally achieved the neutral expression I was aiming for. Just dancing, that's it. The viewer may decide for themselves what's in her head. What emotion do you see? Is there any? Perhaps there is. But for me, my focus was again especially on hands.  I only hope she and the whole painting didn't end up too sentimental, too sweet. That I would hate. And regarding the dance itself, I'd like it to be a foxtrot. The slow one. Deliciously old-fash...

Resting

  After Struggle Anyone who knows my best friend Chester the Manchester Terrier , has probably never seen him truly at rest. Our energetic boy is famous for being a speedy runner and a loud alarm barker.  However, he has always been the greatest cuddler and a long sleeper, especially now that he is approaching his 14th birthday. Paul and I feel fortunate to cuddle with him, as he is quite selective about his friends and the places he chooses to relax.  I have enjoyed thousands of precious moments holding him, petting him as he relaxes beside me, often resting his head on my lap and falling asleep. It makes me so happy to have him close. I always wanted to capture such a scene in a painting. Over the years, Paul has taken many photographs of Chester sleeping beside me, so I only needed to select a few as references.  To begin, I quickly painted a small study, just 15 x 10 cm. I was satisfied with its composition and lighting, so I thought it could serve as a good star...

Landscapes

  Study and Tell Here is a series of landscape paintings based on the photographs I recently took.       I am honoured to have been invited to share my painting process with the enthusiastic and talented local painters' club for the second season. Inspired by our sessions together, I recently created a series of quick and small landscape studies based on the beautiful surroundings of our village. This experience has provided me with a great opportunity to teach while also learning more about painting landscapes, composition, light, and colour. All three are oil on canvas board 20 x 20 cm, alla prima, limited palette. View the finished paintings in my  gallery .

Pictura Wintersalon

  A new show I am excited to announce that my painting " Downstairs VII ", part of my interior series, has been selected for the Wintersalon organized by the 200-year-old society " Kunstlievend Genootschap Pictura " in Groningen. You can find more details here:  https://www.pictura-groningen.nl/activiteiten-pictura/wintersalon-3/ I’m thrilled that my work will be displayed alongside pieces by 30 other talented professionals. The venue itself is stunning; the historic building has been home to this society since 1832 and is located in the heart of beautiful Groningen, right next to the iconic Martinikerk.  Although there was some miscommunication (initially two of my paintings were selected, but the wrong one was called for transport, and an incorrect name was listed in the publicity), I’m grateful that "Downstairs VII," which represents a picture of a tiny part of the rich heritage of our home island, will be showcased in this remarkable exhibition until M...

Kerststal

Light the light This was a very special "commission". A couple of weeks ago, a board member of a well-known local society, who herself is a very creative and talented person, asked me to create a small painting of the Nativity scene for a special event. She requested that I share a step-by-step story of the painting's creation at the event, as she knew I often photograph my work in progress. I was proud to take on this project. Thank you, Hilly! I arranged an old ceramic light holder representing the manger scene, added a tea light, and included a box of matches to enrich the story. I painted the scene and captured photographs of each significant step in the process. I felt honoured to be invited to share the story of my painting at the society's annual party last week. Later, I included additional secondary objects in the painting to complete the narrative. Kerststal, oil on canvas 30 x 24 cm.  You can view the finished painting in my  gallery . 

Sale!

End of the Year Discount It's the season for giving, and art has always been a wonderful gift.  Amelander Kunstenaars' website is currently having a compelling sale with 20% off many artworks, making them very affordable.  Some of my landscapes and still lifes are also included in this sale.  Be sure to check it out! The sale ends on December 31.  

Matthew's POV

Challenging the masterpiece Since I've always wanted to learn more about chiaroscuro and tenebrism, I thought it would be useful to try and master-copy a (detail of a) tenebrist masterpiece. And what is my favourite painting by the great Master of Tenebrism? The Calling of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio, of course.  I can stare at this painting (or the photographs and videos of it) for hours, exploring and still discovering numerous aspects and details, often ending with more questions than answers. The one certainty is that the composition, colours and values, poses and gestures, and most of all, the light , that plays the leading role, are the work of mind of a true genius. I spent hours trying to find out about the nature and the position of those light sources (and there were surely more than one!), yet I still don't know exactly how Caravaggio designed that setting. For a long time, I hesitated, but one day I decided to try master-copying a detail of the painting. In any cas...

November Show

5.600 visitors! Needless to say, this 14th edition of the annual November Art Show was a tremendous success once again. I am proud to have exhibited four paintings from my Island Sheep series, and I am especially happy that one of them found a new home in Groningen City.            

Pumpkin Study

  Still life in Collaboration For the second season, I am excited to share what I have learned and am continuing to learn about painting with interested students. It's fascinating to explore the arts together in a group and to inspire enthusiasm for creativity. During one of our sessions, we collaborated to arrange a setting for a future still life. We discussed composition, the working light and shadow, and the use of colours and values. For homework, each student was encouraged to paint their own version of the still life. This is my own version, created using the alla prima technique. Pumpkin, oil on acid-free cardboard 16 x 19 cm.  You can view the finished painting in my  gallery . 

Painting Scotch

Commissioned work After the Art Eindhoven  Fair in February 2024, where one of my "Hands' Private Life" paintings was showcased, I received lots of positive feedback from several visitors and art lovers. A particular art collector from Belgium, after also visiting my website, expressed specific interest in a painting featuring our dog, Chester . We subsequently engaged in a pleasant correspondence and agreed to stay in touch for any further enquiries and information. Now, six months later, I have received a beautiful commission to paint their Jack Russell, Scotch, who recently passed away. They did a great job collecting and sending me some nice photographs of Scotch, including those where they held him in their arms. The collector explicitly wished for the painting to feature the caring hands, so I thought it might fit perfectly into my Hands' Private Life series. After starting the composition twice all over again, I think I finally found the right relations and pro...

Downstairs XII

A Peculiar House Recently I've been visiting Poptaslot , a house and an estate from the 1630s with a fascinating story. This is probably the best-preserved house in Friesland with all the interiors and furniture still intact as they were in 1712 when the last owner died. In his will, he declared that his house should never be lived in again and should be preserved for future generations. Four appointed guardians still ensure the house and estate are maintained in perfect condition.  I had the pleasure of being guided through this marvellous house (while Paul and Chester enjoyed the beautiful gardens). I learned about the history of this unique place and took lots of pictures, hoping to paint some of those historic interiors later. Of course, I was particularly interested in the downstairs quarters. The original water pump with a stone sink in the basement has a lovely light-shadow effect on it. The contra-light through a small window in the kitchen door made the contract even more ...