When did you start to be interested in art? Why did you choose to draw?

When I was a child , I started with drawing, it was a contest because of saint Nicolas a feast In Holland, and I only had colorpencils. i had a very short one, that was my favourit color. and it still is.

Do you remember your first artwork, what was it like?

My first artwork was the back of a person, in fact it were only clothes and a hat. It was a waterpainting, very detailed.

What are your favourite topics and why? Is there anything you would not depict? What are your favourite topics and why? Is there anything you would not depict?

My favourite topics are animals, I like to do that because I see a lot of ressemblance with humans, they are almost human as i look at them. I like to paint the living, not dead nature ‘nature morte’ still live.

How education has influenced your creativity and changed your professional way?

My education was at the Art School in Rotterdam, fashion department, afterwords I became a costumedesigner for the filmindustry. In the meantime, in this free-lance profession, I painted, very precisely, I was learned to to that. later when I started to be a real painter, I had to let go everything I learned, to be free and creative in my expression.

From which authors do you get inspiration?

The nature/animals films of David Attenborough are very inspiring for me Inspiration comes also from Franz Marc, Kandinsky, Marlène Dumas. Chagal etc.

What, do you think is the place of visual arts in today's life? Do you think art can influence the public life?

It has an important place and is easier to reach for the people. Yes art can influence the people, when I have an exhibition, people look different to animals after visiting.they tell me. they feel happy looking at it.

Do you think that nationality has its place in art?

I don’t know, but certainly I see a lot of difference between nationalitys. I feel like a french painter, with Dutch roots.

Which books are you reading lately?

Passagère du Silence (10 ans d’initation en Chine) Albin Michel (French) Toon Tellegen. (dutch) ‘Misschien wisten zij alles’, its about animals, they have all the the same size.

Are there any projects you are working on at the moment?

I’m working on a portrait, of a little chicken , and a portrait of a child.

How do you see your future?

Getting older, I realy will keep on painting, also to help the animals in my way.

Would you say in one sentence what is the art for you?

For me art is emotion and meditation, does not need words.