ABOUT
My work explores the unconscious mind; the territory of dreams, and the hazy states just before and after sleep. But the unconscious doesn't only surface at night. During the day, too, we move through thoughts and emotions we often fail to notice or fully understand.
I visualize this inner world through dreamlike, surrealist environments and characters, inviting the viewer into a space of reflection: How do you really see yourself? How do you see others? And what do you do with that knowledge? Self-reflection is the central thread running through my work, alongside recurring themes of fear, loss, and friendship. With my surrealistic style being approachable, almost childlike, it's a perfect way to bring difficult things to the table without closing people off.
Everything I make starts from something personal: a feeling, a dream, a memory, an experience. I'm fascinated by the unconscious mind, and I feed my work with what I read about it; research into dreams, lucid dreaming, and the unconsciousness mind during the day. I also look at art history, where symbols have carried meaning for generations, and use that same visual language in my own work.
BACKGROUND
I grew up in a small village in the Netherlands during the 90’s, with my mother working in education and my father who served in the army. In a village with few distractions, I found an early refuge in drawing, using pen and paper to construct my own imagined worlds. Creativity ran naturally through my family: my grandmother ran a fashion school, while my grandfather was a gifted draftsman.
From an early age, I came to use drawing as a way to explore emotion and articulate my relationship to the world. This sense of layering continues to inform my work, in which playfulness and vulnerability exist side by side.
In 2011 I graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven. After my studies, I worked for several years as a designer within the high-end hospitality industry, alongside commissioned narrative work. Today, I focus on the development of my autonomous practice, within which I create both independent work and commissioned projects.
