Valta's Blog | valta.nl

  Fifth Edition Our traditional Three-Day Exhibition is coming up. The fifth edition, once again in the beautiful Stalhuus in Hollum on the island of Ameland. This year, the exhibition will showcase the art by  Wybe Jansma  (ceramics) and myself (oil paintings and studies), with live music by brilliant Kees Poulus and Anne-Meta Kobes. Save the date: June 19, 20 and 21! Also, and take a look at valta.nl/expo for what to expect.

  Studying  I believe that practice is the best form of learning, and master copying is the most effective to practice while studying. Since we always (aspire to) learn, I find that copying a masterpiece that inspires you is an excellent method to achieve this.  In essence, master copying is not about creating perfect replicas; instead, it's about gaining a deeper understanding of artistic principles and techniques. It's a valuable tool for any artist seeking to improve their skills and expand their knowledge.  From time to time, I will update this post with my new master studies. Here are some: May 2025 After J.C. Leyendecker painting "Couple on Deck Chairs. 1904" I have been fascinated by the works and biography of this great Golden Age artist for a long time. Recently, I finally read a beautiful book titled simply, "J.C. Leyendecker", written by Laurence S. Cutler and Judy Goffman Cutler. His name and influence were most prolific; his private life was kep...

  Another Portrait Study Lucky me, having a new model session recently for a portrait study. I am grateful to Jesse for taking the time to patiently sit for me for a couple of hours. This allowed me to experiment with different settings and lighting and to create a sketch on canvas. I also took some photographs to use as references later, beside my easel. I struggled a bit with selecting the backgrounds, but in the end, I was quite happy with the result. Learned a lot once again. Thank you, Jesse!  Jesse . Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 cm. View the finished piece in my  gallery .   The original painting acquired by the private collector J.W. in April 2026.

  A Bit of Musical Fantasy As I prepared for the fifth edition of the Drie-daagse Expo, I wanted to involve some talented musicians to enhance the event. I thought it would be delightful for our visitors at Stalhuus to enjoy lovely music alongside the art. I approached the renowned musician Kees Poulus to see if he could support our exhibition with some musical accompaniment, and he enthusiastically agreed. Additionally, he arranged for Anne-Meta Kobus to join him with her beautiful singing. I was thrilled that they embraced the idea, which inspired me to create a unique poster for their performances. I painted a small fantasy artwork as the background for the affiche and hope our visitors will appreciate it. Sea Music . Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 cm. View the finished piece in my  gallery .   Exhibitions: "Driedaagse Expo", June 2026, Stalhuus, Hollum   The original painting was acquired by the private collectors K. & E. P. in June 2026.

  A new commissioned work In February, I was glad to accept this commission intended for a special occasion happening this summer. The task was quite challenging; we agreed that I would create not just a landscape painting but rather a portrait of a certain solitary pine tree growing in the old dunes here on the island. That tree holds special meaning and emotional memories for the commissioner and their family.  What could the story be? Beyond themes of solitude or loneliness, perhaps it could also reflect resilience, strength in adversity, fortitude and conviction. As well as fragility and defencelessness. I contemplated how these qualities relate to humans, focusing on building that resilience, confidence, and mental or physical fortitude in the face of challenges. Standing strong. I made some small studies, in pencil and in colour. Some previous works  featuring this landscape also provided useful references. Ultimately, I decided to use a portrait format for the canv...

  Enjoy! - A new exhibition photo by Patricia Posma      I am grateful that a friend and brilliant fellow artist, Gabi Vos once introduced my website to the owners of the Galerie Kakelbont , a cosy and colourful gallery in Paterswolde. This led to an invitation for me to exhibit my work there, which I happily accepted.  The gallery selected nine of my paintings from the series "Hands' Private Life" for their group exhibition titled "Enjoy!" The exhibition will run from February 28 to April 11, 2026. The opening will take place on February 28 and will feature a high tea starting at 12 PM. Everyone is welcome! Hope you will enjoy, too!  

Practicing Persuading   Just finished another portrait study.  A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon a photograph of an old friend, Robin , taken by the brilliant @thepostoffice013 . I was captivated by the exact moment captured in the photo. Not only the lighting, but the very pose and expressive gesture told a complex and harmonious story, which I thought would provide perfect yet challenging material for my study.    The composition was compelling: Robin, a charismatic speaker, was caught in mid-gesture against a fiery backdrop (which I decided to change into an abstract one). He was positioned en profile , looking toward a dramatic light source - probably the natural light of a sunny day - which highlighted his face, neck and hands while casting soft shadows. His expression conveyed confidence, passion and engagement, with his eyes focused and intense, adding a sense of charisma and intellectual energy. I wanted the hands to be the second focal point, as they a...

  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 .