01-2013// #BestTenSeconds

For a few years already I have asked myself at the end of the day: "What were today's best ten seconds?" and write them down. To me it's a good way to focus on the positive, even after a shitty day. There are always ten seconds worth remembering.

Recently I realized that this is very much related to how I work as an artist: looking around me and painting the things I find beautiful in my everyday surroundings. And also repetition is very important in how I grow visually.

So instead of writing these moments down just for myself, I decided to share them on a blog, together with drawings, paintings and/or collages which were inspired by (parts of) these memories. I have no idea where it will lead me. That's what I like about it.

You can find my blog #TenBestSeconds here on Tumblr or follow me on Twitter to get a daily update.

Would you like to comment? Or ask a question? Don’t hesitate to contact me: erna@reiken.nl.

06-2012// YONDER

Yonder [yŏn'dər] 0.1adv. in or at that indicated place: The table over yonder. 0.2 adj. being at an indicated distance, usually within sight: "Yonder table," she said, pointing.

All paintings and drawings in the project 'yonder' can be viewed in the portfolio.

09-2011// BRUSSELS
Recently I was grabbed by my wonderful old and hand made chair I found on the corner of my street when I lived in Brussels, years ago. It's always been there in my studio. I sit on it when I read and draw and ponder and despair. I fixed it myself. It's just a chair.

But of course it's not just a chair. My years in Brussels were hectic. Brilliant. Inspiring. Big decisions were made in Brussels. Wondrous places were discovered. My first easel I bought in Brussels. I discovered so much about myself when I lived in Brussels. All this is represented by that one chair. And now I'm painting that chair over and over again with no idea where it will lead me. Except that it is all about Brussels. Me and Brussels.

You can view the whole project here, in this Flickr-set.

02-2011// INSPIRATION
There are many ways I keep myself inspired. Twitter is a never ending source of inspiration. And of course there are books, music, exhibitions and the whole world around me. What’s interesting to me is that recently I’m able to find more and more inspiration in my own work. In this painting I ended up combining elements from a drawing and a small painting I made several years ago.

I don’t decide beforehand that I want to mix these subjects. At some stage in the painting I wanted to use the figure from the model drawing. I strongly related to the position of the figure. There, but absent. Right in the middle, but hiding. My work is about such contradictions. When going through older work I saw the shape in the small painting and felt it was perfect to add. Other things have been added, but removed. Or partly removed. All those decisions added up to the final work.

View my portfolio for the full image.