Artistic research
I feel that my working method is what makes me unique as an artist.
I grew up in the center of Utrecht, but at the same time I had a strong connection to nature through weekends spent at Camping Bakkum. There, I developed an early fascination for the small and often overlooked details of the natural world. That way of looking has stayed with me and still shapes how I work today.
As an artist, I position myself between imagination and science. This becomes visible in my visual research, my making process, and in the sculptures themselves.
I often describe my research practice as a “translation process.” Moving from a natural element to a ceramic sculpture happens through several stages of interpretation. None of my works are literal reproductions of their natural source. Instead, this process allows me to capture subtle qualities of plants and transform them into personal, abstract sculptures.
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Drawing for the Lythrum sculptures
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Collage for the Lythrum sculptures
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Drawing for the Lythrum sculptures
When starting a new research, I immerse myself completely in my subject, often a plant. I study its characteristics in depth: its flowering cycle, habitat, whether it is native, and its role within biodiversity. This research is followed by a hands-on visual exploration, where I create drawings, collages, and new drawings based on those studies. This layered way of working allows forms to emerge that I could not have imagined beforehand.
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Collage for the Hedera sculptures
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Drawing for the Hedera sculptures
During this process, I also bring the plant closer to me. I encounter it in nature or keep it in my direct environment for observation. Sometimes I study parts of it under a microscope to reveal hidden structures, which I then translate into clay.
Through this way of working, my sculptures carry a sense of recognition. They don’t directly represent something, but they invite attention and hold it through association and imagination. In that sense, they aim to create a similar experience to the natural elements that inspired them.
With my work, I aim to bring people closer to the beauty of nature, its precision, its details, and its imperfections.
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