There’s something about painting. The caress of the brush against the canvas, turning a blank space into a vibrant masterpiece.
There’s something about looking at paintings too. Imagining the artists thought process along the way, how they used colour, blending and shapes. How did they get inspired to do this piece of work in particular? Wellington-based artist Escha van den Bogerd travelled the long way from the Netherlands to our fair shores in Aotearoa, to paint portraits, in some cases of people looking at paintings: the inspiration for each piece of work being a simple enough philosophy. “My main inspiration is from the Old Masters and the classical European feel. I started off as a portrait artist and then did figurative painting for many years. I have been working for some years on my museum paintings, a series of paintings of people studying famous paintings,”she says. The inspiration of the classics is a key driver for Escha as you can imagine, along with the ability to share this with all around her, and the freedom she has to do just that. “To be able to do what I love and share this with the world, to express my feelings and moods and to be able to work for myself and have the time to work when I want is a great combination.” Mood definitely helps too – it’s not always easy to paint a nice happy picture if your mood doesn’t match. Getting into the right headspace is important, but changing moods can bring out new and interesting works and ideas, in addition to other elements that Escha draws on for inspiration.
See more of Escha's work here: Escha van den Bogerd
