Finally summer. And some more knowledge

Something different

It seems that my annual winter depression this year, due to the lockdown and the unusually sunless, cold and wet spring, lasted for half a year instead of a few weeks. I was of course happy to be able to paint and read, but I was also thrilled to discover many interesting courses at Coursera, which I loved to audit. And that was not few. Proud of this list so far. But I don't intend to stop. I like to learn. So there's still a lot planned, maybe after the summer break.

Hoping that this long depression is finally over, I am now fully enjoying the nature around us and our garden again. And I'm also working now on a new small but nice art project for our island. I hope to report on that very soon.

So, see you soon, and take good care of your mental health, and of the others.

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Artist's Home

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...

Master Studies

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...

Matthew's POV

Challenging a 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 case,...

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