Flor-alls

Blue grape hyacinths are the herald of spring but still need time to pop up their nodding blue heads outside in the cold. We can't wait for it to start but how lovely to have a winter feel too? And to know you can long for spring and all of it is yet to come! Time flies and I'm so grateful to live in a country with seasons. To have them today on my table to paint is a feast but it makes me a bit of a cheat as in the garden the snowdrops are blooming their little hearts out and the witch hazel spoils my nostrils with her gorgeous scent and the Hellebores are trying their best! But here they are my flowers in a flour pot. 18cmx24cm Oil on canvas Framed  Shipping Costs: Netherlands included European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 50 Euro ROW 85 Euro

I love my new woolen plaid , I just couldn't resist buying it @brechtjeolsthoorninteriors . I wanted to use it as a background and tablecloth in a painting and it's lovely on the sofa too. Venus is inside the diorama I made years ago. The inspiration comes from a painting by Duncan Grant (1920) who was a member of the Bloomsbury Group of which I made my own version too to be able to show where my diorama had come from. Roulin is the postman Vincent Van Gogh was befriended with and I saw the wonderful exhibition @vangoghmuseum and bought this beautiful catalogue which is a lovely read as well. Oilily is the maker of the coffee pot, it's in our family for many years, I used to have the red one as well but I dropped it. I dried the dahlias which I got from my brother and his wife from their lovely garden. The pink snooker ball is my third so I feel a collection is on its way. The lovely green vase is a birthday gift from my daughter and son in law. The huge blue and white serving plate belonged to my mother and has my little green friend for company. The napkin belongs to a handmade tablecloth I bought on Tenerife. Our first holiday abroad with our toddler and my daughter in my belly. I remember digging a hole in de sand on the beach so I could lay on my tummy for a bit. The funny wooden cook is a thrift find and I have no idea what it's meant for.  Oil on canvas Framed 50cmx70cm Shipping Cost: The Netherlands 25 Euro European Union 50 Euro UK 60 Euro USA 140 Euro ROW 180 Euro

I love to lay a table with personal meaningful things. Filled with memories but maybe you have your own memories or make up stories when you look at it! The small wooden shoes were for my daughter when a toddler, I forgot to put them on in time, the plate is one of a series I collected throughout the years from Anthropology by Lou Rota whenever we were in England with the family. The Tabasco bottle made by @kly.vanmy was love at first sight! The van Melle tin is a lovely gift from my oldest friend I grew up with. The blue plate is a free interpretation of a favorite one that I always loved as a child and now is part of our lives. It's the start of my forever love for blue and white china! The Union Jack butter dish is a souvenir from a lovely UK holiday with the family long ago. Yayoi Kusama is one of a Kokeshi d oll collection by @sketchinc.becky . I love to collect things and be happy every time I find a new one! The strawberry cup is a gift by my nephew who comes to stay a few times a year since he was a kid. So very sweet! The little plate( apple) was painted by me. It has my little frog friend on it. The Staffordshire dog has made her appearance in earlier paintings. The red napkin is actually a quilting fabric. (I used to quilt) The artbook is by Hockney and the postcard has a portrait of him on it. I love his work. Hope you like the glimpse in my life on my table! 50x70cm, framed  Oil on canvas  Shipping Cost: The Netherlands 25 Euro European Union 50 Euro UK 60 Euro USA 140 Euro ROW 180 Euro

I lay down my brushes, cleaned my palette and call it finished! I hope you like my table, it's the one I spend most of my time on in the house to eat, to play games, to drink a tea or coffee with a friend or family, to work on , to write in my moleskin, to draw with my grandchildren. My house is my love, my safe haven in difficult times, my happy place always , it's filled with memories which I share on my table. Dora Carrington, Lytton Strachey, Virginia Woolf and Claude Monet are there too to keep me good company. Very tired now but happy and that's what counts!   50x70cm, framed Oil on canvas Shipping Cost: The Netherlands 25 Euro European Union 50 Euro UK 60 Euro USA 140 Euro ROW 180 Euro

One in merry colours ! Oil on panel Framed 18x24cm  Shipping Costs: Netherlands included European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 50 Euro ROW 85 Euro

I promise I won't bark, you never need take me out in the rain, I won't smudge your clothes and furniture, I'm cheap too, no food , no vet and I'll forever love you! I love these dogs and thought to add two of mine to my Little Happymakers that urgently need expansion! So work to be done! 18x24cm Oil on canvas Framed Shipping Costs: Netherlands included European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 50 Euro ROW 85 Euro

Hi my name is Harold and I think I'm rather handsome . So yes I'm probably vain but nonetheless easily satisfied. Just a dusting now and then would suit me fine. I will not take up much space and even if there's no park or forest you can keep a dog to keep you company. You can share all your sorrows with me and I'm a very good listener who keeps your secrets safe. I'm looking for a loving home so if you have a warm heart and a wee place for me, please let me know, 18x24cm Oil on canvas Framed  Shipping Costs: Netherlands included European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 50 Euro ROW 85 Euro

Made a little simple sketch of Hydrangeas in a sturdy pot. They have just begun flowering in my garden. (Later, I added the oxalis flowers in the tiny old cup.)  Acrylics on canvas  Framed 40x50cm Shipping Costs: Netherlands included European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 50 Euro ROW 85 Euro

Everyday We have the opportunity To make beautiful Memories That last a lifetime For free My most vivid July memories are the ones of our family holidays in De Haan, Belgium. Sitting side by side with my mum in concentration making beautiful paper flowers. She taught me to create. I wish I had thanked her for that. The flowers were to be "sold" in my handmade shop of sand alongside the sea. First I needed to find beautiful shells to be able to pay in case I wanted to buy a flower myself made by another child with a flower-shop! Those moments together were so precious. And oh the excitement of having a little flower-shop alongside the beach with children visiting! I had my birthday while being there and my daddy would then go to the green grocery and had the boot of the car filled up with all sorts of lovely fruits to surprise me for my birthday as I loved fruit more than anything. I felt so loved and special by that gesture, have you ever seen the boot of the car filled up with summer fruits? I never have since but it's right there in my memory, the colors and the sweet smells and my dad being so thoughtful. This July I was invited for a lovely lunch by our children and a visit to the Fabrique des Lumières after that to visit a Gustav Klimt exhibition. This day with just the three of us together had me well up with gratefulness. Those memories are depicted in this painting obviously inspired by Klimt as well. The fun thing is that while painting all those little flowers and fruits I suddenly remembered I used to draw these when writing a letter or in my school diaries when in my teens. 40x50 cm  Oil on Canvas   Shipping cost: Netherlands 25 Euro European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 130 Euro ROW 170 Euro 

Wealth And then it's there, the explosion of May the resurrection of my garden, the reassurance and relief that all is working still my green treasures are at its peak which is sad as well as thrilling, a necklace of daisies to crown our loved ones, can't think of one that tops it! Have been working with cold wax for the first time. It gives a velvet feel to your oil paint and makes them less glossy and more textured. I very much like it and I'm always in for trying out new techniques. The crowned loved one is my daughter who's now a mother herself. I picked her these daisies in England, what a surprise! 50x50 deep canvas Sides painted. Oils and cold wax  Shipping Cost: Netherlands 25 Euro European Union 50 Euro UK 60 Euro USA 140 Euro ROW 180 Euro

60x80.cm Oil on canvas/ framed  Shipping Cost: Netherlands 25 Euro European Union 50 Euro UK 60 Euro USA 140 Euro ROW 180 Euro

Just to be clear, it wasn't my intention to make a political piece but it sure triggered me. Headscarves are of all times and no matter what the reason of choice for wearing is, sickness, religion, fashion, it's aesthetically pleasing and shouldn't be an issue whatsoever. The background is inspired by a gorgeous scarf by Hermès, given to me in 2015 by my daughter and son-in-law. It was a total surprise and the fact that they had chosen this particular one which is so entirely me, made me feel loved, special, spoiled and happy. I cherish it and each time I wear it I feel beautiful. I'm thinking she's asking me to give her something in her hands but I'm still listening to her. *I gave her a flower, so many around her and not one for her just didn't feel right. 60x80 cm Oil on canvas/framed Shipping Cost: The Netherlands 25 Euro European Union 50 Euro UK 60 Euro USA 140 Euro ROW 180 Euro

In memory of Vivienne Westwood. What an iconic woman she was. Her flaming hair and her love for Tartans ..we all remember this strong woman in our own way.  This is mine. 18x24 cm  Oil on board/framed  Shipping Costs: Netherlands included European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 50 Euro ROW 85 Euro

This is my impression of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire which was one of Cezannes beloved subjects. Everywhere I looked I seemed to see this mountain and having tried to follow some of his creative path whilst being there ( Aix-en_Provence)I started to appreciate this domineering mountain and wanted to do my own small version. I hope you like it. 18x21cm Oil on board/framed Shipping Costs: Netherlands included European Union 40 Euro UK 50 Euro USA 50 Euro ROW 85 Euro

My body's broken My mind strong My hearts eyes Are looking And yearning I'm working on this piece I immediately knew I wanted to make the moment I heard there was a competition on the life of Frida Kahlo. I want to show some of its process and explain my thoughts on it. You can't see it in just one picture which is what one's allowed to send in when you take part. Frida had polio when six years old. As had my father. It is a very contagious virus so she was quarantined and saw practically no one. Can you imagine that at the age of six? I remember my being scared to be left alone by my parents every night when going asleep and that was just for the night and I was healthy! In her body is newspaper as a metaphor for the horrible news she had to carry within her for the rest of her life after the accident. Het foot is open, her body broken and on her tummy there's a fetus for all the baby's she had to loose. There's another thing we have in common so I feel strongly for this survivor! (we were given two beautiful healthy children after six years of sadness) I made the mattress of the daybed of cardboard and raffia, the wood department is Jeroen's. The floor is tiled with paint on cardboard. Another touching story is to be found in the background I painted on the inside of the glass dome. I shall try to make a picture of the whole work tomorrow but I'm having problems with reflections.  I'll show you some of my struggles to get the right picture in which I did not succeed ( undoable for me in that handblown glass )but you get the idea. I painted Friday's story of looking For her imaginary friend in the shopwindow of Pinzon in the backside of the glass dome. For the ones who have missed it she was quarantined at the age of six because of her having the contagious polio virus. She was extremely lonely at that time and in her fantasy she went to Pinzon, the shop across the street, blew her breath in the O of Pinzon, rubbed it with her hand and went in through the newly made opening/door to meet her imaginary friend (another loved one)to play. For the rest of my explanation and the making off please read my last post. For now I'm going to tidy my house as there's work stuff all over the place. Thank you for following my Frida journey and have a great day! Can't be shipped so either you pick this up or we will deliver it personally if you live in the Netherlands or close to the border.