Art Talk: JUST ART!

This post is mostly visuals of some of the art we have seen. Believe me, it is just a very small sample. There is just so much art to see. We go to small towns and they have at least three museum/art galleries. I don't have the names of most of the artists (sorry about that) but some stories.
(NOTE: if you click on any of the photos they will enlarge)

First up are the paintings of boats....what I love about this grouping, besides the boats of course is the look into life at the sea at that time and the beautiful Holland skies.

Pencil drawing

A lot of boats...might be the fishing fleet

dredger

love the style this is painted in

One of my favourites for sure

Typical Dutch style with 2/3 being sky

lovely light

mysterious

love love this painting and it is quite large

Next up is fabric, blue and grapes...the delft designs of blue and white in paintings, ceramics and tiles. I also love the way these artists can paint fruit and flowers like you can eat the food or pick a bouquet. They also are masters at fabric.

just a small part of a large painting...masters at fabric

These are about 5 foot high and are vases...the flowers are inserted into the corners.

nothing like a tile floor on a tile

pick a grape

more grapes

Went to Amersfoort which is a small town south outside of Amsterdam....canals and old buildings abound. The Mondrian (one of my favs) Gallery is there. They had his studio set up and a room that had his history in text and visuals. There was a show of contemporary artists influenced by him. Here are a few samples and a pic of his studio:


Mondrian's studio

artist channeling Mondrian in stitching

this was one of three rooms painted like this

I liked this one a lot

There is lots of abstract art from past to present. Exquisite shapes and colours. If I could be a painter I would be an abstract artist. LOVE IT!

Sculpture from that same era:

TREES

Love this style of painting

SHEEP

For Dev!

My friend Rob van der Schoor. We have a piece of his at home. We took Rob and Sharon to his studio and he showed us current and past work.

I love the way his mind works and then what he produces

My friend Ron van der Ende from Rotterdam. We visited his studio and he collects old pieces of wood which he then cuts into tiny pieces and puts together in these amazing constructions. NO PAINTING IS INVOLVED!....just old painted wood. Amazing and not small.

this is part of a big commission for the Dutch government

I just need a convertible to tow this around Europe

Good size studio with an outdoor space as well

Also in Rotterdam Sharon and I saw a Chuck Close show of his pixelated work of portraits. When you walk up to them they are just all painted squares. One is a self portrait. They are not small. Arnt and I saw his tapestries of portraits in New York. He starts with a photo from large format camera and then works from there with graph drawings...all numbered and colour coded. There were samples of his process at the Rotterdam show. The video at the show also showed him working in his studio.

Public and street art:

On the side of a building with 2 others

Antwerp, Belgium rail station

where is Korny?

In the town of Bruge, Belgium

foot/fish

This is a living sculpture..the trees are growing

Stairway to heaven?

African sculpture in Den Haag

Rina with African sculpture in Den Haag

RAW ART was a show in Amsterdam Noord which was held in the old Kromhaut factory. (diesel engines). You got to vote on which two pieces were your favourite. There were large paintings on canvas and car parts. What a great place to have a show. Our friend Millie Balance from Brighton, England was in town and joined us. She was one of the 901 Main Artists but now has a studio in Brighton.

On that same day we visited an installation by artist Charlie in a park. He used to work in a bronze casting factory when he was young (originally from New York) and then changed to being an artist in cast metals. Started in New York, married a Dutch woman and has been here for 27 years. He was on site and explained his process to us. Lots of experimentation with different metals and their reactions to each other and the elements. Loved his passion. Arnt and I will go to his studio at some point on the artists island in the graffiti area.

We took a train trip to Den Haag with Rob and Rina. It is the seat of the government and Queen Beatrix has her royal house and stables there. Went to city hall, an outdoor antique market, old church with a show of photographs from Truth and Reconciliation South Africa, outdoor sculpture garden, art museum with classical to contemporary art, art alliance with a show of contemporary artists, a small museum which holds the largest 360* painting, drinks on the beach...yes we went to the North Sea beach with lots of sand, piers, restaurants and surf shops. Later dinner with Francoise and Hans, friends of Rob and Rina's who live in Den Haag for half of the year and half the year in New York City. They are both painters and Hans has his painting studio in a boat outiside his house on the canal in Den Haag. A great day trip for sure! Following are some of the pieces of modern art we have seen as well.

Installation in City Hall, Den Haag

Close up of one of the pieces

simple but lovely

Pile of bears

Junk into art, be still my beating heart

mate to the yellow one

same artist as above makes these architectural sculptures

same artist again

detail of above

another architectural piece

The 6 foot arrow lights up

what to do with old bicycle seats and parts

jacket of leaves

one of our favourite pieces...a flying boat motor

Hendrik Mesdag painted how the beach looked in 1881. This is a 360° painting and is the biggest in the Netherlands. It is only lit by natural light through skylights so your experience will change depending on the weather.