“Nongkrong” – in Indonesian language “relaxing & hanging out with friends”. At the time I was a student in Indonesia. We sat together with friends having coffee and talking. “Nongkrong” is all about the pleasures of sharing time with friends.

xTiny

Evening Glow

Palms whispering,
their leaves sway slow,
a gentle sea breeze
begins to blow.

The sky is warm,
in golden glow,
so peaceful
as the sun sinks low.

And with it comes
a silent vow:
tomorrow brings
a fresh new now.

xTiny

Inspired by my travels to Polynesia.

xTiny

 Colorful joy, inspired by my love of color.

Color is so powerful, it sets the mood for the story I’m telling through my art. I use color very intuitive, I do not start with a color palette, but start painting directly, I am fearless when it comes to color..

‘Color is a power which directly influences the soul’ by Wassily Kandinsky

xTiny

During a lovely talk with my Finnish friend she told me about “sisu”, a word that implies “inside”. Translated from Finnish it means “inner strength” which is a unique form of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. However, I remember being a kid that had to much “sisu” as a way to survive difficult times. Now I know that healthy sisu means asking for help, knowing when to take a break and taking time to sort through feelings rather than rushing to the next event. Hence, I painted “La balance”.

xTiny

As part of this mini-series “Tendre noir” is inspired by the Japanese concept “wabi sabi” which is about the perception of beauty. Accepting the transient nature of life, authenticity serves as a focus point of wabi sabi cherishes the cracks and imperfections. They symbolize the passage of time and loving use. Love as the antidote to a throwaway society built on disposable goods and mass-produced homogenous items.

xTiny

This woman’s portrait, painted in soft pink and tender brown, feels like a memory of warmth. I love how the flowing colors ground me, calming the mind like early morning light. It’s as if I can smell the fresh air, feel the earth beneath my feet, and sense the soft light brushing gently against my skin.

xTiny

Like a lotus flower
trusting the light.
Pristine petals rise
from murky waters.

Opening with the rising of the sun 
and closing as night falls. 

Every morning is a new beginning.
Soft and peaceful.

Breaking through the water's edge
the beauty is inspiring.
My heart is following the sun.
A symbol of beauty, purity and enlightment.
I love the lotus flower.

xx Tiny

And she looks like the moon. So close and yet, so far. Following her intuition. Enchanting like a blue moon.

This portrait was originally painted on linen with a Japanese brush. The unpolished strokes, the imperfections – all of them celebrating serendipity. This is where the magic is.

xTiny

Golden light softly touching her face, creating a magical atmosphere...

xTiny

Female faces are always a big inspiration to me. I enjoy especially drawing the eyes and this is what I start with. It is the most difficult part of the painting but also the most exciting to find out her expression, her character while drawing.

xTiny