Closer to Home

I’ve started a new series: Closer to Home, inspired by the many walks I took with my daughter during the lockdown this Spring. While mostly confined to home, we were allowed to go out for essentials and to get exercise and fresh air. This limitation turned out to be a great opportunity to get to know our neighborhood and our city better, and to appreciate the beauty of nature in spots such as the one above in the Asserbos, one of the oldest forests in the Netherlands.

The next two paintings were inspired by a pond in a different part of the Asserbos. I discovered this lovely spot when my mother was in a rehab center after having surgery for a broken hip 🙁 Due to the coronavirus restrictions, the rehab center was in quarantine and we weren’t able to visit, but I went there to collect Mom’s laundry, and a couple of times I walked around to the back of the building through the woods so we could wave at each other.

The last painting (for now) was again inspired by a walk in the forest with my daughter. It was early April, and the trees were just sprouting new leaves. It was a time to slow down and discover the world closer to home, to appreciate its beauties despite all the sadness and worries in the world. At least we were still able to go for a walk and hear the birds sing. It’s this feeling of calm amidst chaos and fear that I hope to express in my new series.

The new paintings are available here.