Artist’s Statement

My love affair with color and canvas began 24 years ago, when a friend invited me to an art class. I was immediately captivated when I began to mix colors. Perhaps I was so strongly drawn to painting because of my Dutch heritage.  Over the years I have pursued my love of painting through a number of classes and teachers, including Kanya Burgreff, an accomplished artist from the Serge Bongart school of Russian Impressionism.  From Kanya, I learned the freedom to use all colors and apply them with strong, expressive brushwork - to make a statement with each stroke.

Most recently, I have studied with and been strongly influenced by Rassouli, the internationally acclaimed visionary artist and founder of Fusionart International. The basic premise of Fusionart is that the purpose of art is to express the inner universe of the soul.  Art comes through the heart not the head. By expressing the reality of the spiritual nature which we all have, art becomes a uniting force for humanity. Through Rassouli, I have come to understand more deeply that the love we have for anybody or anything is what keeps our inner life alive and provides us with a sense of purpose in life. We are capable of whatever we want to create when our love is deep enough. The secret is to make love to life.  That is what brings inner wealth, and nothing is more important than to let out the love within us. 

I have come to the conclusion that creativity refuses to punch a time clock.  If it did, it would not be creativity.  Creative energy is by its very nature a rule breaker.  If we think  that we can control creativity, we are mistaken.  It controls us in order to express itself, if we allow it.  Creativity comes from somewhere else.  I treat creativity as an honored guest who may arrive at any time of the day or night.  I rush to the door when the bell rings.  Everything else drops away while I attend to my guest.  I give my guest plenty of room to move around, without restriction to certain rooms.  In return, my honored guest brings me the most precious gift- freedom from limitation.  Creativity is being, not doing or having. 

Creativity is saying “yes.”