Exhibition Lobke van Aar

Today I visited the exhibition of Dutch illustrator Lobke van Aar in 's Hertogenbosch. It's her first solo exhibition where she shows work she made during the last 7 years. I know Lobke and her work only via Facebook, so this was a nice opportunity to meet her and see her lovely work in real :-)

I visited the exhibition together with illustrator Connie Snoek, which I  also only know from Facebook. We met and had lunch together in the Verkade Fabriek in Den Bosch. Nice to meet two collegues on one day (In Holland we call that: 'twee vliegen in één klap' :-))

The exhibition is in the beautiful restaurated old Willem 2 Building, where Lobke also has her studio. A really inspiring environment!

It was very nice to hear Lobke talk about her work. That made it even more special. She makes illustrations for newspapers, magazines, books and personal projects. It was fun to hear some stories behind it.

Also nice to see her development in these last 7 years. I must say, I almost love everything she makes, also her early works. Lots of diversity, but always her clear own voice. I'm a fan :-)

The exhibition will take place till the end of next week: the 28th of June. If you are in the neighbourhood, go and have a look and give Lobke my kind regards ;-)

De oase van Matisse - Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

 Today we visited the big Matisse exhibition in het Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
 Really very inspiring!

Last year I wanted to go to the Tate Gallery in London to see the Matisse exhibition, but we didn't found the time. So I was very happy to hear there would be an exhibition in good old Amsterdam this year :-)

We took a guided tour, which was very nice, because we heard more background about this exhibition. Good to see a combination of paintings of artists who iinfluenced each other. Works of Van Gogh, Mondriaan, Picasso, Malevich....

I didn't know Matisse's cut-outs were this size. Impressive! Interesting to see the devellopment of how he came to this cut-outs. Below the famous Parakeet and the Mermaid, one of his most spectaculair cut-out works: a coming together of an underwater and above water world:

Here's one detail of a cut -out work which he made for a tapestry.
These are also shown at the exhibition.

My dearest brother in front of one of his cut-out works ;-)

For this exhibition Dutch illustrator Annemarie van Haeringen made a beautiful childrensbook: The parakeet, the mermaid and the snail. She tells a bit more about it in this video

In the hall of the museum you can find a giant drawing of hers:

I think I wanna go another time, because there is so much to see and discover. The exhibition takes place till half of August. So if you are in the neighbourhood. It is certainly worthwile to visit!

Spring Festival Rotterdam

This afternoon I visited the Turkish spring festival in Rotterdam - Crooswijk.
It was very nice. People were so friendly.

As if we were for a moment in Turkey with traditional food and Art and old children songs and games (I even saw a giant Pinocchio) and that all just around the corner from where I live. I love my city :-)) It inspired me to aboves drawing

This was the photo I took which gave me the inspiration for the drawing.
Have a nice weekend!

Freaky Spring in the Kunsthal Rotterdam

Today I visited the big FREAKY SPRING exhibirion in the Kunsthal Rotterdam. With my favorite brother ofcourse. (my museum mate ;-))  It was a big surprise. I didn't know what to expect, but I walked through the museum halls with open mouth...

Especially by seeing the work of Kristof Kintera. I had never heard of him, but it is 'freaky' indeed! His exibition is called: Your light is my life. The walls in the halls of the museum are painted neon green / yellow. It's impressive to walk through.

His work is weird. You enter a whole new world with talking and moving objects and installations. Ever seen a talking and moving shopping bag with rubbish or an office chair with giant wings?

Dancing trees, a moving bucket... a giant palmtree and cactus of tins....
It is worthwile to have a look!

Also very surprising was the exhibition of photographer Charlotte Lybeer from Belgium:
The fantastic adventures of the Cabbit and the Folf

You enter again a complete new world. She portrays people who like to be in an 'in-between' world. They live in a world in which they take on a different identity to escape from everyday reality.

She did photograph them in their own environment. It's fascinating! I didn't know the existance of this phenomenon.

These are only two of the five freaky exhibitions. It was a while ago I went to the Kunsthal. I almost forgot what a nice museum it is....

inspiration: 100 great Children's Picture Books

Sometimes I give myself a present :-) This time it is this inspiring book:

If you like picture books, it really is a 'must have'. A collection of 100 books
from 1922 - 2011. Collected by Martin Salisbury.
I am very happy with it, maybe it's something for you too....

Happy weekend!

Animal characters 002 - 004

My new illustration project is four days old now...

On Instagram I post a new animal character each day for 100 days. I love to draw animals and this is a good stimulans to broaden my portfolio for the children book market. I would love to make a picture book once. And you have to start somewhere, isn't it ;-)

Character 004: Boris Boxer

I'm not the only one who is doing the 100 days challenge. When I posted the first character: 'Christopher Cat' on my blog, I got a reaction of one of my favorite illustrators Manon Gauthier. She wants to join me and will post her characters on her blog. They are SO adorable. She will start today. I'm honored she wants to join and looking forward to see her new animal characters!

Character 003: Polly Pig

Character 002: Mike Monkey

Besides broaden my portfolio another  reason I joined this challenge, was because another favorite illustrator of me Claudi Kessels was joining the 100 days project. She makes her own 100 days of naturals. You can check it out on Instagram: clauditekent Very delicate and original!

Exhibition Carll Cneut 'in my head'

Yesteday I visited the wonderful and impressive exhibition of Carll Cneut 'in my head' in Ghent in Belgium. I took some (not so good quality) photos to give you an impression, but it's better to visit it yourself, because it is an inspiring expericence  which is difficult to catch in photographs....

What made the day extra special was to meet a whole bunch of illustrators from Belgium and Holland which I know from Facebook. We went for a lunch and walked the exhibition togther :-)

The first part of the exhibition is about Carll's youth. You get an audio guide with lyrics written especially for this project by Wouter Deprez and Carll Cneut. I saw a lot of laughing people. The stories are really funny.

The second part of the exhibition shows the original works he made through the years. I was really surprised how small they were. Sooo many details, so precise... Wonderful colors, textures, fantasy, a treat to look at!

And ofcourse I also bought his latest book 'De Gouden Kooi'

At the end we met Carll in person in his studio at the exibition. He thought he was able to work there during the exhibtion, but due to the giant succes he is only signing books all day..  He also signed our books :-)

When we wanted to leave and said goodbye. Carll asked if we would like to have an illustrator group photo with him in the middle. Isn't that sweet? ;-)

So here we are, from left to right:

Els Vlieger, Ellen Vesters, Nelleke Verhoeff (me), Carll Cneut, Lien Geeroms, Vera Van Groos and Ine Beerten.

Illustrator Pencilory Pecncilory had left already and during lunch we also met Vicky Lommatsch.

It was a wonderful day! Full with great impressions and inspiring conversations.
Thank you all :-)

Exhibition Marlene Dumas

Last Friday I had to bring my work to the temporary pop-up store 'de WinterWinkel' in Amsterdam (where I will blog about later this week). After that I went with my brother to the Marlene Dumas exhibition 'the image as burden' in the Stedelijk Museum.

It was impressive! I've seen her work more often, but never so many works together in one exhibition. Most intriguing for me are her faces. So many different expressions and emotions. Good to also see some insights in her working process.

Every hall has a different theme. The painting below was in hall with the theme: sorrow.
This was one of my favorite paintings:

If you like  you can watch this video which leads you through the exhibition, including a little interview with the artist. It gives a good impression. (english subtitled)

The exhibition will be there till the 4th of January.

Exhibition Mark Rothko

Today I went with my brother to the exhibition of Mark Rothko.(1903-1970)
in Gemeentemuseum The Hague. It was a nice experience!

We went early because we had heard the exhibition attracted a lot of visitors. But Saturday morning at 10 o'clock you have the chance to see his paintings without lots of people walking in front of them.


Here's a visitor in black watching one of Rothko's black paintings:

The exhibition gives a good overview from his earlier work, the development to the abstraction and the inmense colored squares, which became more and more dark at the end of his life.


Here's one of his brighter paintings, which I love:

It was a bit difficult to make photographs, because the museum rooms were not so light. That's how Rothko wanted to show his work. On eye level on the walls in a dimmed light, so the visitor has the chance to absorb his work more.

And as always, with such a huge exhibition, they make up some commercial items. I'm always curious where they come up with. Besides postcards, they also sold Rothko bon bons :-) I wonder what Mark Rothko would have thought of that...

You have the chance to vist this inspiring exhibition till the first of March.
So if you are in the neigbourhood, grab your chance!

World Wide Artist Blog Hop

I was asked by Kelly Angelovic and Janna Krupinski to join the World Wide Artist Blog Hop. I'm flattered they both chose me as one of the artists who inspire them :-)

In this Blog Hop Post I will share some of Kelly's and Janna's gorgeous works, answer some questions about my own creative process, and I will introduce you to some artists friends who inspire me: Claudi Kessels and Sophie Dufresne.


Kelly Angelovic
Kelly Angelovic is a Colorado based illustrator which I know from Lilla Rogers Bootcamp. Her work is quirky, playful and I love her combinations of shapes, linework and nice color palettes.

 'Let's Play' is a Journal Cover Design for last years Global Talent Search, where she ended up as one of the 50 semi-finalists.

Below a Wall Art piece she created inspired by her favorite beverage.
It's one of a series of three and you can purchase them here

Kelly has written a Blog Hop Post last week, where she also features my work.
You can find her on Facebook and on Pinterest

Tabula Rosi
is the Alter Ego of Janna Krupinski, She lives in Germany, where she creates  beautiful, colorful and happy Art. I also met Janna online during Bootcamp (such an inspiring community:-))

I love all those nice little details and engaging textures in her work. Her handlettering is beautiful too. Look at this funny character she created with the little bird on his toes :-)

With 'a jar full of joy' she won the Hallmark competition. So well deserved!

You can find Tabula Rosi also on Facebook, on Pinterest and on Spoonflower
Janna will write her Blog Hop Post next week.
You can find it on her Tabula Rosi blog


Some questions about my work and creative process
Kelly and Janna passed me some questions:

1. What am I working on?
2. How does my work differ from other work in its genre?
3. Why do I create what I do?
4. How does my creative process work?

1.  What am I working on?
Since I took part in Lilla Rogers Make Art That Sells course, I made my first pattern, which I loved.

During this summer I joined the 'Make It In Design Summerschool' which ended yesterday. So I made lots of patterns, I've added a whole new category to my portfolio: surface pattern design.

I recently joined the Global Talent Search, which was quite a journey.
I'm working on some new products for my Red Cheeks Factory shop and my Etsy shop,
which I'm gonna tell more about later. I'm also busy with updating my portfolio

Here are some examples of my work in progress of an Animal Alphabet, I'm working on at the moment:

2. How does my work differ from other work in its genre?
Not an easy question. I hear often: "your work is so you".  But what is that 'so you'? I love to create characters. Draw often people, faces and animals. If I can I also give faces to inanimated objects. They almost all have red cheeks, 

People often smile and become happy when they see my work, they say it's whymsical, quirky and characteristic. I use a lot of handpainted textures. Maybe a combination of all these things make my 'Red Cheeks Factory' style...


3. Why do I create what I do?
Because I looooooove it! It gives me red cheeks. I love the creative process. To invent new things and to surprse myself. I like to tell little stories with my work.


4. How does my creative process work?
It depends on what the assignment is and how much time I have. But mostly I get inspired by seeing lots of images. I gather material  (Google and Pinterest are great sources), Make sketches on paper or directly on my drawing tablet. When the idea is clear I choose a color palette I work on it in Photoshop till I'm satisfied.


inspiration
Enough about me, now I like to introduce to you the work of two artists, who inspire me:

Claudi Kessels
An illustrator based  in Amsterdam is  Claudi Kessels  I met  her online this spring during the Make Art That Sells course and I immediatly fell in love with her work. It is unique, inventive, clever, beautiful and poëtic. Not only her work speaks to me, I met Claudi in Amsterdam and she is also a very kind person in real life, with her long curly hair and beautiful positive, supportive attitude.

Below her interpretation of the vintage kitchen / tropical fruit bolt fabric assignment. It was immediately one of my favorites:

She also made a lot of nautical drawings. Here's one of them, so inventive! Claudi also uses real materials as shells and feathers in her work, see more here

Below: an editorial piece about meditation. So poëtical! I love those little details as the birds on the girls  swimsuit which go over into the birds in the sky. Very nice and inspiring how she creates her own imaginative world, as it were a dream.

'Sea you' is a little drawing Claudi sends with her e-mails. I love it!
Yes Claudi, I will certainly 'Sea you' :-)

You can find Claudi also on Facebook and on Pinterest


Sophie Dufresne
The second artist I want to introduce to you is: Sophie Dufresne. She is originally from Montreal, but now based in Los Angeles. I also met Sophie this spring. We were in the same class with Claudi.

I love to see Sophies work. It's nice, appealing, clean, bright and clear, I love her shapes and subtile use of textures. During the MATS class, I was always looking forward to Sophies blogposts, where she described her creative process in a very detailed way. An inspiration to follow.

Below: In the land of no coffee, a nice illustration for Bootcamp about beverages, read more here

I also love her animal fables. She makes up a little poem and illustrate it. Such a nice idea! Very poëtical too:

Below another playful animal illustration:

Her nautical band, which she made for Bootcamp, you can almost hear them play...
You can purchase this one on several products here

You can find Sophie also on Facebook and on Pinterest

This was my longest blogpost ever. I hope you've enjoyed reading it. It was fun to write it.
I'm happy with all these inspirations and like to share it with you.

Next week you can read a Blog Hop Post on the blogs of Sophie, Janna and Claudi.
I'm already looking forward to it!
Happy weekend!