About Me
Even as a young girl, I always saw how things could be, not as they were. This led me into exploring, fixing, up-cycling and creating completely new things.
I was always so curious and had a never ending thirst to learn more about the world around me and put those lessons to good use.
Since then, I haven’t changed much. Though I enjoy painting on a brand new canvas, I often up-cycle or repurpose things, like old frames, cabinets, coal boxes (they make excellent planters) or anything that speaks to me.
I like stuff with stories, a few scratches and look for the authentic and more profound in all I collect, make an do. Of course this shows in my art too, though I first made the transition to digital in my twenties.
I have a vocational training in 3D animation, took courses on software like Photoshop, Final Cut Pro and Creative Project Management. After finishing a huge animation project all alone, the feeling that something was missing was getting too strong to ignore.
In 2020 I started to make the switch from working 3D back towards completely artisan. Since then I took many drawing and watercolour classes and am currently following an extensive program at an art institute sharpening my skills further.
My style developed from just painting what I found interesting; the story of a book, a picture of an animal or a character in a movie. I always try to dare myself mixing in surprising colours and try to keep from too much detail or overcomplicating things.
My style would be a combination of Impressionism and Abstract Realism with a nod to the great Romantic painters. There are some Art Nouveau elements in my work too.
The main message and theme of my work would be to look at the world in two ways; through the lens of connection & belonging, and to see what you can create or change for the better.
Though I've done all kinds of things, painting is my core. I can’t get enough of it. I have a small booklet with a whole list of paintings I’d like to create. And as the list grows faster than I can cross them off, I’ll be fine and happy creating.
About The Bell Maker
The company The Bell Maker has evolved from my company Cookie Entertainment which I started in 2017. I mainly designed greeting cards for the Dutch and German market. Over the years my designs were used for some of the most special and happy moments in people's lives, like wedding and birth announcements.
Up until now over 30,000 people have received a greeting card with my art on it. Something which I'm very proud of, but also still find humbling and mind boggling.
In 2022 I noticed that what the small business "Cookie Entertainment" was all about had changed so much, that a new name was needed; I made the transition to working mostly with real materials like paint, inks, paper and canvasses, instead of all digital (though digital tools remain part of the process too). My focus was no longer greeting cards, but paintings and some POD products like notebooks and bookmarks.
Also, my work now evolved around ambiance , possibility, and restoration. For some reason, little bells always played a significant part in my life. That's how I came up with Bell Maker, which to me sounds artisan, kind, reliable and encouraging (a bell gives you a kind wake up call).
I hope my work speaks to you and our roads will cross now or sometime in the future.
