This past summer (2024), I moved my studio back home.
For the past 2.5 years, I worked with great pleasure in De Meern, in a former primary school classroom. It was a period of significant growth: I shifted from working digitally on my laptop—creating business illustrations and infographics—to working with paper, paint, oil pastels, and linoprint.
I started out small. On A5 and A4 paper. I began investing in materials, including large sheets of 70 x 100 cm paper. And I immediately felt—even that wasn’t big enough.
I worked towards an exhibition at Piccalilly Catering, where I had access to a very large wall. I wanted to fill it. I wanted to create a large-scale work there.
And I did. It turned out beautifully.
I gradually let go of the computer and rediscovered the joy of working with materials—especially with colour, in the form of birds.
My goal for 2025 is to take this further, this time on canvas. My home studio has become a wonderful place to work. I’ve noticed I’m also more productive, simply because I’m always close to my workspace. It allows me to take small steps more often, which ultimately contribute to the bigger picture.
Right now, there’s a large canvas hanging in my studio—2 by 1.5 metres! The first layer of color is already on it, and I’m impressed with how it’s turning out. I’m really looking forward to my next exhibition, where my birds will be free to take flight into the world!
U in de Wijk visited my studio in De Meern. In this lovely feature, I’m right in the middle of my creative transformation.
In the video, I talk about my work as an infographic designer, while at the same time experimenting with a wide range of physical materials.
My segment starts at 6 minutes and 25 seconds.