After the silence
Holidays, new works, exhibition and live demonstration
Dear all,
it has been a long time since I last sent a newsletter. Last time I wrote that it was time for some rest, but I was not planning to have such a long 'vacation'. The children were home for the summer holidays and it was therefore difficult for me to get any work done. But the main reason I'm writing to you only now is that I haven't been feeling well and haven't had much energy to do anything. Fortunately, I am doing better now and I can focus on new projects. Because I worked a lot from live observation in the first half of this year, I feel the urge again to make paintings based on fantasy. The fact that I can choose my source of inspiration is what makes being an artist so much fun.
During the summer holidays, the four of us went to the south of France. We stayed in a small house along the Le Bès stream, half an hour from Digne-Les-Bains. It was an incredibly beautiful place, all rocks and winding trees, exactly what I like. Unfortunately it was so hot that we decided to return home after a week and a half. From ten o'clock in the morning the sun was so bright that it made you completely lethargic and only from about 7 pm was it pleasant enough to go for a walk again. Fortunately, at the end of the afternoon we were able to cool off at the stream, which the children did not get tired of. A thousand pebbles were thrown into the water! It was also a beautiful painting subject, with all those changing colors and flowing lines. Very difficult, yes. I think every subject has its challenges, but water... that was almost impossible to capture in a short time! As the sun turns, the hues of the reflections in the water change, not only in color, but also in value. In the end I managed to make two small works that in a way capture the atmosphere of Le Bès, but not of the spectacular rocky mountains that surround the stream.
Once home, the sunny weather continued and we enjoyed dinner with friends and family. You now know that cooking is a great passion of mine, but when it is so hot, I prefer not to spend too long in the kitchen and I like to put something fresh and colorful on the table. I am often asked to share recipes in my newsletter, so here are two popular dishes at our home, which are also suitable for a beautiful Indian summer!
My Gazpacho for 2-3 persons
500g ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 large cucumber, partially peeled and diced
1 bell pepper (or pointed pepper), seeded and chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
6-8 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil
2 -3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
2 slices of white bread (I sometimes do it with my half whole wheat sourdough bread)
salt and black pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend into a smooth soup. If you use coarser bread or your food processor does not have as much power, very small pieces may remain in the soup, but that is not a problem at all. If you don't have a food processor, you can also get the job done with a hand blender. Don't forget to wait until the bread has softened. Taste, season and pour the soup into a bowl. Place in the refrigerator until it is time to eat.
My red cabbage salad for 4 people
1/2 red cabbage, outer leaves removed and cut into as thin strips as possible
2-3 carrots, peeled and grated
2-3 spring onions, cut into small rings
a bunch of parsley, finely chopped
a fresh red pepper, seeded, cut into small pieces (optional)
good extra virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 or 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black nigella seeds
salt and black pepper
Start the night before. Place the chopped cabbage in a bowl or sealable container and sprinkle generously with salt and vinegar. I always do this by eye, but I think it takes about 4-5 tablespoons of vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is more intense than red wine vinegar. Stir well and place the bowl or container covered in the refrigerator. The salt and vinegar make the red cabbage soft and easy to digest overnight. Stir again in the morning. When you are almost ready to serve, place the cabbage in a nice bowl and add the grated carrot, spring onions, parsley and red pepper. A generous dash of olive oil and lemon juice to taste. I like something sour in the summer, so I often use a whole lemon. Stir, taste and add more salt and black pepper if necessary. Heat the sesame and nigella seeds in a frying pan until the kitchen fills with a delicious smell and the sesame seeds start to change color. Sprinkle the seed mix over the red cabbage salad and stir gently. Serve cold.
On show until September 6th 2024
Okay, back to art. On the way back from our holiday we took a look at Galerie Nakaï in Tournus, where my paintings can be viewed until September 6. I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful design of the room, full of antique furniture and stylish ceramic dishes. Tournus is also a very idyllic village that is definitely worth a visit. If you are in the area, go and visit!
Alla prima demonstration with live model - Warffum
On September 14, the municipality of Het Hogeland will celebrate its first anniversary in the Kunstkerk in Warffum. It is also open monument day. The official opening is at 10 am and afterwards there is plenty to see and do in the church. From sculpting to drumming and from Mexican dance to felting. Together with other artists in the dance hall, I will give a demonstration of alla prima painting from a live model, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. So come and have a look! I will also exhibit recent plein air works in the KunstKerk together with other Warffum artists.
What to expect
In the near future I will have to pick up the work rhythm again, but because my son is getting used to primary school, my working days will be shorter these weeks than before the holidays. Nevertheless, it is my aim to post a video on YouTube every other week and to provide an update every month in the form of the newsletter. I am not teaching for the time being, but if you are already making plans for next summer, you can already write July 14 to 18, 2025 in your diary. Then I teach together with Paul Boswijk and Maarten Dalstra at the Summer Academy of the Classical Academy in Groningen. We are going to work using colorful setup with a live model.
You can always contact me for ideas for workshops, collaborations or assignments.
See you soon,
Anna Maria
