Flowerfields

While Vincent van Gogh moved down south, to be inspired by the sunflowers in France, many painters (not to mention millions of tourists) have come to Holland to enjoy the colors of the tulips. This time of year the flowerfields are showing their brightest colors. Most people will go to the area of Lisse with the famous 'Keukenhof', but I know there are more farmers growing tulips. Some of them are nearby, so who am I to let this moment pass by? A great opportunity to make some nice photos of Dutch agriculture. 

After enjoying 'the real stuff' I have made some artworks based on these fields with tulips. (Flowerfields I and II). 

Buy Flowerfields I

Buy Flowerfields II

Want to see more? There are some great videos on You Tube like this one taken by a drone flying over the flowerfields near Noordwijkerhout:

Tranquilizer

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New composition of four Sand Tiles. Contrary to my other mini abstract works, which can be combined the way you prefer, these four panels of 20x20cm are fixed on wood, creating one overall image. Vibrant red and orange colors covering layers of violet, yellow, green and blue.  

The title refers to a song by Dutch guitarist Jan Akkerman. ‘Tranquilizer’ appeared on the concept album “Eli”, Akkerman's fourth solo album, with mixed elements of jazz, pop and funk. It won the Dutch Edison Award in 1976 for Best Album.

During a major clean-up of our garage, a few years ago, I got rid of my old record collection, including this LP. A decision I sometimes regret although I do not have an old fashioned pick-up record player any more. So even if I still had mu LP's, listening would be impossible. Then again, looking at the covers was fun too. The unforgettebale cover of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall', the amazing artwork of Roger Dean on the covers of YES. And the YES-logo of course.

Eli has a simple cover. Aphoto showing Jan Akkerman and singer Kaz Lux. Well, o far for mourning about he good old days. We've got You Tube now. And guess what? The entire album is there for you to discover. So sit down and relax. Take your tranquilizer.

Natural expressionism

Made some photos in the dunes. A small nature reserve called 'Kwade Hoek' at the former island of Goeree-Overflakkee. The environment is inspiring and beautiful. The view disturbed by windmills along the dam (part of the Deltaworks). Nevertheless, it's a quiet place providing some interesting images. Vegetation near the coast is still yellow. The green colors of Spring have not yet arrived here. The bushes in the dunes haven't got their new leaves either, providing a great opportunity to have a close look at the barch of the trees. Nature creates its own expressionism. Superb pieces of barch overgrown with algae and moss. Soft yellow colors of the vegetation competing with the blue sky and the water of the North Sea; a bizarre construction of branches trying to keep the sand of the dunes in its place. Life near the coast is a constant process of change. Evolved in this tidal zone. Shaped by salt water. And all it takes is time. Yes, some of the best things in life are still free, but you have to take the time to enjoy them.

Chatter Chick

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Last few weeks I've been working on a so called Chicklit-novel. A genre which, if written by men, is sometimes called 'Dicklit'. Nasty name, which doesn't encourage me to lay the 'lad on the table'. In fact the name Dicklit is used for male writers, writing about trivial stuff for men. You know, all those important things in daily life female writers will share in Chicklit, like lipstick, shoes, fashion and so on. But then for men. Right. I’ll keep Mister Dick in my pants...

Being father of two gorgeous daughters, the importance of all daily trivialities is clear to me. No matter how many thrillers I will write, they only read the ‘real stuff’: Chicklit.

“But there’s nothing happening” I always say. “Chicklit characters will chat every line of every page, there’s no action.”

Obviously, my idea of action differs the full 100 percent from the idea my girls have on the subject. “It’s about the most important things in life, Dad” they explain. Alright, I’ve got it: lipstick and shoes are life. So Chicklit is all about life.

“I can do that” I said. But I will make it likeable to men as well. The moment I said it, I realized, being a man, the genre title of my books might end up with something unwanted like DickChicklit, or ChickDicklit or, hell no!, Shemalelit. You can imagine my relief when I learned about ‘Edgy Romance’. Period! Done. No doubt about it. From now on I will write edgy romance.

Clamorous

Buy this item: Clamorous Coral

Anyone who likes snorkeling or scuba diving, like I do, knows how coral reefs can look like. Marine aquarists may experience the fabulous coralline colors in their home aquarium as well.

Coral reefs provide shelter to thousands of living creatures. The rock itself is mostly covered with a layer of algae, known as coralline algae. Eventually this becomes a beautiful, red crusted layer highly appreciated by hobbyists. In the marine aquarium it proves the water has ‘aged’, in other words your aquarium is ready for live stock. The crust layers grow upon anything, including pumps, windows etc. This can be annoying to an aquarist as removing the algae can be problematic and may require a daily routine.

Diving above the reefs, the current sways you back and forth. These waves provide the necessary movements for the corals as they are constantly providing new food supplies. The coral polyps, known to most people as the ‘little hands’, will grab the food out of the water. Of course divers usually go down under to enjoy corals and fish. I think the scenery of coral rock itself. The construction and the colors are creating a natural image which is worth to have a closer look. It inspired me over and over again.

The painting above is a triptych. Three panels of 60x60cm each (total length 180cm). It has the deep, crimson red and violet coloration which is also seen on coral rock. The water currents, bouncing in between the rocks, provided me the title. ‘Clamorous’ as in tumultuous, or disordered. The chaos of nature. I love it!

Fragile

The weekly paintings I make for my fish-blog, are usually studies, made of acrylics on paper. I bet you hardly recognize a fish in this creature at all. It's a so called seadragon, a relative of the well-known seahorses and pipefish. Fragile beauties, living along the coast of Australia, where they are considered endangered.

For these fish-paintings I use smooth watercolors paper. I think handmade watercolors paper is too rough for the details I like to draw. Basically I start out with a storyline for my blog. There are thousands of fish, so it will take me quite a while to run out of stories. And the best part is, every year 200 – 400 new species are described. How’s that for inspiration? Then I have to find a picture which includes the essential details (fins etc.) to create my own painted version. I start with a sketch (pencil drawing) to determine the right size. Then paint a few layers covering each other to obtain the colors I want. The process is a combination of techniques used for watercolors and acrylics. Like watercolor paintings I sometimes leave parts of the paper untouched, these parts are the natural whites. For other details, like the glancing eyes, I use white acrylics on top of the black eye.

I know I’m lucky to have many photos available to discover the details of a fish. In the old days, ichthyologists had to create technical drawings of the fish they described by using the real specimens saved in formalin. The blog entries I create usually are close to reality. But whenever possible I’m not counting every spine, ray or scale. So…back to reality. The queer fish in this blog is newly described. It’s named the Red Seadragon. If you're interested, continue reading my Queer Fish-blog for more details and the first description.

Inspired

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Where do you get your inspiration? A question commonly asked. The answer not as renewing as many hope for. “It just happens” is my usual answer. Does this mean I am incredibly creative? Guess not. I prefer to think of my ‘creativity’ as a result of experience. How’s that? Let me try to explain.

The mind is a wonderful thing. It can withhold us to finish any work we have started. Writer’s block if you like to give it a name. (Made a stupid blog about that in April, 2005. Don’t mind if you take a look, but beware! A writer’s block really is awful…). On the other hand, your mind can also encourage you to proceed. Your mind has a will of its own. It’s working while you try to do some other work yourself. It’s even working while you are asleep. It’s more creative than you can imagine you will ever be. Experience, other people call it. And that’s the dirty little trick that does the work. The more you practice the better you will become in whatever you want to be doing.

Out of experience I can tell you the best ideas I get, pop up while I am working. When I’m writing, I get ideas for new stories. When I’m painting, I get more ideas to make another painting. To put it simply, one thing leads to another. I pick up lines from the news (yes, even from the old fashioned newspaper), TV, music, even fragments of conversations, said by people passing by. All these nice, angry, stupid, crazy, silly, lovely thoughts remain stuck in my mind. They pop out by occasion. Unexpected, sometimes unwanted, most of the time it seems an uncontrollable process. But as said before, practicing unveils many thoughts at the time you need them. Your unconscious is your best co-writer or co-painter. Hack, the best co-worker you can imagine. If you like to make a note, or a sketch of anything of interest you hear or see so you can use it later on, be my guest. I’ve made tons of notes and sketches which all seem to disappear. Except for the ones is have used in my Skredch-blog. It seems most of the time I am lost in my own chaos. But, when not asked for, my mind is able to retrieve those things I never considered lost. Ideas just pop up in my mind. Experience? Practice? Let’s call it inspiration.