Valta's Blog | valta.nl

The autumnal one I am going on with my experiment on painting with a very limited palette. This time I even omitted red and used only Ultramarine, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Yellow and Titanium White. We have harvested a good crop of Doyenné du Comice pears, and this couple of them looked nicely on the sunlit windowsill along the stoneware flask I bought years ago in Alsace so I decided to paint the setting. So it became the Comice Pears, acrylic, 30x24 cm. The result is to be seen in My gallery .

A new challenge Mixing (almost) every colour from three primary colours is quite possible, say my books and the YouTube painters I follow. As I am still using the 16 colour tubes of paint that I got long ago in a gift box, I have never been thoroughly thinking of using a limited palette. During a recent painting session, my fellow amateur artists and I started a kind of challenge to try out a limited palette. I made a still-life setting, and I chose the three-plus-two formula (Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Ultramarine as primary colours and Burnt Umber and Titanium White as support) to bring it over on canvas. Well, though I did not really match every colour with the photograph, I am quite satisfied with the result. A fellow painter did the same and she produced really good artwork. So we proved that the use of a limited palette is actually almost unlimited. I think I will go on with this experiment. Here you can see the photograph of the setting and the painting in progress. Let's ...

Hope Hope Hope It feels like the new art season starts nicely. At the moment it looks like the annual November exhibition of the Art Month Ameland goes on. I am happy to participate this year again with some of my new paintings. Hopefully, we will receive lots of art lovers in our galleries again. And the first painting of this season has been sold! I am very happy and proud that one of my favourite works, 'Downstairs' , has now a new home. I hope the new owners will enjoy it for a very long time.

Making my own old-fashioned ones Since I find the frame to be a very important part of a painting, I have always been making my own frames for my works. It is not an easy, time-consuming but satisfying job. I like my frames made of real wood, in a modest classical style and painted preferably black, sometimes with a golden border. Some art lovers find this choice too sober/heavy/old-fashioned but it is my choice at the moment. I exhibit and sell my paintings always with my handmade frames. When a customer prefers to have their own frame or even no frame at all, a considerable price discount is possible. Because a handmade frame does cost money.

Honoured and flattered What can I say... Just really proud to read back a nice article written about my paintings by an awesome artist and author, Gonneke Braakman. Hoping this will bring more inspiration and luck with the coming exhibition in November to all of us. Fingers crossed! And yes! Come and see yourself, each November is a great Art Month on the island of Ameland.

Summer still life Yes, the nice summer seems to be back again so I thought why not try to paint something outside. We love to picnic sometimes when the weather allows, so the setting and composition were not difficult to find. Loved to learn to catch the light and shadows on the cloth. Nice experience, need to practice painting these textures more. Let's picnic. Acrylic, canvas, 30x24 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Tea from far away Inspired by another traditional event in our village. It is a kind of public diner with a theme of historic international meals, and this time it was one of my backgrounds. I was glad to help to organise it. The story of a tea tradition was a part of the evening. My partner and I are lucky to possess an old traditional Russian water boiler, called a samovar, from 1880. So we were proud to show it and tell its story. This all made me paint this small still life set up in our kitchen. Tea from far away. Acrylic, canvas board, 30x24 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Magnus by candlelight The medieval St. Magnus church in our village is small but beautiful in its simplicity. Sometimes for special occasions, it is only lit by the real candles in the three 18th-century chandeliers, which makes the church cosy and majestic at the same time. I now tried to paint that effect. Interior of St Magnus church in Hollum. Acrylic, canvas board, 24x30 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Still going strong (as it seems) Painting interiors seems to be the thing I quite like. Another week of lockdown, another corner of our house. This time I tried to paint our little hero Chester as well. He sometimes loves to sleep on the sofa (when allowed by the strict humans), especially when the sun gives him a long warm kiss. I am content with this first "portrait", so I hope I one day will paint more of Chester, or even of other animals, like maybe my self-portrait :-) At home. Acrylic, canvas, 24x30 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Gone but not forgotten A friend who I admire for her phenomenal knowledge and memory of people and places of our island, has found an old photograph of a forge, an old smith workshop that was run by her grandfather. Sadly, the building doesn't exist anymore. Some fellow island artists announced they would attempt making a painting or a drawing based on the photograph. I am trying now to make my own translation of this scenery. I am wondering how is it to paint something based on an old black-and-white photograph that has no quite defined shadows. Never done before. I tried to change the perspective as well but without destroying the actual details. Very interesting but quite a challenge, I must admit my fantasy is not as developed as I hoped. But nevertheless, here it is. I hope she will like it. Oude smederij. Acrylic, canvas board, 18x24 cm.

Another interior Last year I painted the sunny Amelander Interieur with pleasure. This time I am trying to paint the other part of our sitting room lit by the lamps at night. Love to work on it and to learn how colours can totally change by the dark and electric light. Amelander interior. Night. Acrylic, canvas, 30x24 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Wash your hands In late February I was lucky to visit the Huis van Eysinga in Leeuwarden before everything was forever closed. It was a cold day with showers and the sun changing rapidly. The house was almost empty except for some staff so I had enough time and a good opportunity to explore this well-preserved piece of the art of living. It is a nice concept they are using there; unlike in most museums, here you may touch and try everything. It was great to go through both up- and downstairs. While in the large original kitchen, you almost are expecting to hear Mrs Bridges' voice shouting "Ruby, scrub them potatoes!" I loved the light falling into that beautifully tiled scullery, on the ancient sink and the copper bucket. So, I am now trying to paint that effect on canvas. Downstairs. Acrylic, canvas, 24x30 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

View from the kitchen The sun shines a lot these days, providing lovely light effects on buildings and gardens in the village. The traditional farms and houses across the yard look very cosy in those lights and shadows. I took a photograph on such an afternoon. Thought it would perhaps be good to use it as a source for a new small painting. Hollum. Spring. Acrylic, canvas, 24x30 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Sunrise in our village Got up early for a change and caught the first sun rays touching the rooftops on a cold morning in late March. There was hope for a lovely day, there is a hope for better future. Stay safe and enjoy the tiny little things around you. The most beautiful of them are free of charge. Roofs of Hollum. Sunrise. Acrylic, canvas, 30x24 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

An empty street I love this small old street in the genteel medieval city of Zwolle. So I loved to paint it. The winter sun in the morning hesitantly turns the old roofs bright orange. Another day, full of hope, begins. Stay safe, everyone. Walstraat in Zwolle, acrylic, canvas board, 24x30 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

An old small romantic passage When visiting the beautiful city of Kampen, Overijssel, I accidentally came across a narrow and quiet street passage in the historic centre. I loved the scenery, so I took a photograph. Now I wanted to make a small painting of it. There was no sun, it was cold and windy and the roofs and pavements around were covered with moss. Time seemed to stand still. This was the nice old Dutch winter I love. A small street in Kampen, acrylic, canvas, 25x25 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Salicornia fields after a thunderstorm. The quick small study of a landscape that I made last week, had to be painted on canvas. So I thought. So I did. Autumn behind the Hollum dyke, acrylic, canvas, 24x30 cm. See the final version in My gallery . UPDATE December 2022: on show Amelander Kunst XL in a museum

Salicornia fields behind the dyke Inspired by Félix Ziem's rainbow sky that I have finally seen in real last week in the Gouda Museum, I tried to paint a quick small study of a landscape. The actual setting goes back to September when I took a photograph of our beautiful tidal fields full of salicornia which have turned into a wonderful rusty carpet by that time. A storm was approaching. The sun broke accidentally through the heavy dark clouds. Then autumn made its entrance. Hope to make a larger version of this soon. Achter de dijk bij Hollum (study), acrylic, paper, approximately 9x20 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Winter morning through the rear window in Zwolle Inspired both by the view of this historic and intimate place and by Hitchcock's film, I am making a new cityscape painting. I like the low morning sun producing that shadow line. Tried to catch it. Though I would rather prefer to set the buildings more impressionistic, like the church here, I am mostly satisfied with the result. The sky remains the thing I still have to learn to paint. Rear Window, acrylic, paper, 34x28 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Roofing The small study I made last year seemed to be quite challenging, so now there is a larger version of it. Based on the real view from our attic, though I've played with perspective a little bit. Roofs of Hollum, acrylic, canvas board, 24x30 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Proost! Another festive season is over and it is nice to relax reading something useful in the evenings or just having good coffee with some quality liquor. Or both. And maybe to paint again. Some lovely people I was happy to meet last year, thought for a moment and by mistake that my first name was Valta. Since those people are artists themselves, I actually found this a good idea to sign my paintings from now on with "valta". Let's hope it will bring luck and inspiration :) Triple pleasure, acrylic, canvas board, 30x24 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

Sold! Exhibiting with the AAK during the Ameland Art Month brings me luck again. Four paintings are sold so far. Including the self-made frames. I am very proud and happy that people appreciate my art. I am also very proud to exhibit among the dozens of most talented artists of our island. You can find the pictures of my paintings in My gallery .

Another small still life Inspired by a fellow amateur painter, I have tried a new setting with books and a candle. Glad to discover that red can be so luminous! Books and a candle, acrylic, paperboard, approximately 14 x 19 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

November is the month of arts on our island I am proud to participate this year again among a group of enormously talented amateur artists living on the island. Five paintings of mine will be exhibited for the whole month of November at a location in Buren. Good luck, guys! For more information on the traditional international art show visit kunstmaandameland.com .

A seascape Trying to paint the sea again. This is the view of our nearest beach, next to a catamaran club. A quick study on paper, using the photograph I took recently. Reddingbootpad, acrylic, paper, approximately 24 x 15 cm. 

Another still life Never painted apples before. The first ripe ones from our little garden gave me this opportunity to try a new setting with a white sugar pot and some cinnamon sticks and star anise. Well, almost all you need for a nice Dutch appeltaart! Eerste appels / Early apples, acrylic, canvasboard, 30 x 24 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

"Evening sun in our house" Planned to paint this for a long time. The light fall in our sitting room produces rather lovely effects I wanted to catch... Glad to practice and to learn more about perspective as well. 'Amelander interieur', acrylic, canvas, 24 x 30 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

"Sunset" Inspired by the Jacob Collins' painting, I am now daring to try an 'abstract' landscape. A very quick study, using paper and learning the alla prima technique. 'Sunset Study', acrylic, paper, 24 x 15 cm.

"Aan tafel!" Another try to combine still life and interior in one painting. I love the light falling into our kitchen through the small windows. Just like last year , I used the place to make a new setting. I think I have caught the shadows on the china rather nicely. Table clothes and cutlery are what I'd like to practice more in future. 'Aan tafel!', acrylic, canvas board, 30 x 24 cm. See the final version in My gallery .

New experience Making a study of a view from my attic window. Never tried this before. Maybe later I will make a larger version of it. Finding the right colours and structure for painting the roof tiles is a challenge indeed. Roofs of Hollum, acrylic, paperboard, approximately 20 x 9 cm.

Another miniature This turned out to be fun. Tried landscape again. This time it is the view of the village where I live. The photograph I took a while ago, has been of much help. Hollum, acrylic, paperboard, approximately 5 x 12 cm.

The first miniature Inspired by the tropical weather last weekend, I have tried now to paint a sea landscape. Something I wouldn't normally want to paint. Well, here it is. Remembering our Normandy holidays, let's call it A Channel Beach. A Channel Beach, acrylic, paperboard, approximately 12 x 5 cm.

Cheesy light Browsing the web lately I got inspired by some beautiful photographs I ran into on a Tumblr of a Scotsman with great taste. I loved the composition of a photograph with a cheese and wine setting. So I decided to make my own version of it. Here is the result. Let's call it Sunday Lunch. Sunday Lunch, acrylic, canvas, 25 x 30 cm. See a larger image in My gallery . UPDATE: Sold by Saatchi Art

A new still life Dark winter days seem to be over, and it feels like I want to paint again. This time I would like to catch the visual effect of some liquid in a crystal glass in bright light. Glass of Whiskey, 24 x 30 cm. See a larger image in My gallery .

The very first show turned out to be a success The Ameland Month of Art made me proud. Unexpectedly, four of five paintings are sold, including the self-made frames. Astonished. Grateful to Mireille for encouraging me to start painting, to @Maria for inspiration, to other friends and family for their support and especially to Paul for always being there for me! Visit my gallery to see these and other paintings of mine.

One month to go till my first exhibition Ameland Month of Art is coming. I am accepted to participate this year with some of my paintings. Proud and quite excited. More to come.

Just got another Google certificate! My interest in analytics has been rewarded. After following two courses at Google Analytics Academy , I am now in possession of an Advanced Google Analytics Certificate. Proud and full of expectations to use the knowledge and to go further.

Let's paint a still life again! Got inspired by my very creative niece Maria who took a beautiful photograph . Masha's summer, 24 x 30 cm. See a larger image in My gallery .

A new study; a new experience. It's the first time I am trying to paint a human figure on canvas. Once I took a photograph of mireillevankempen.nl while visiting a small castle near Utrecht. I found it a great setting, worth trying. In the room of Belle van Zuylen, 24 x 30 cm. See a larger image in My gallery .

After a long break, trying to paint again. I took a photograph of these nasturtiums last October. I loved the play of light on and around the setting. I thought then, it would be nice to paint it once. Well, it was quite a challenge, especially a struggle with the flowers again, but now here it is. My October Symphony, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 24 cm. See it in My gallery .

Proud to work on the website for a magnificent holiday villa lying on the bank of Lake Como in North Italy. The website of villalouisa.nl is live from now on. It's a light bootstrap-based one-pager with some Google Docs (sheets and forms) embedded so that the site owner is able to edit and control the vital information at any time or place. the new website of Villa Louisa in Nesso, Italy

My best friend and an apple hero Chester could not just wait forever for his old page to be renewed. So I've made a new page for him. A totally up-to-date one. Feel free to visit: Chester's Page