Robert van de Graaf
Robert van de Graaf (b.1983, the Netherlands) is a Dutch visual artist living and working in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Van de Graaf received a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Architecture (Technical University Delft) in 2009. In 2005 and 2006, he worked as an intern in architecture in New York City (at Steven Learner Studio). Since 2012 he is devoting himself entirely to his career as a visual artist. He has since produced a large body of work, consisting theme-based series of artworks which are exhibited in numerous online and physical exhibitions.
He also enjoyed an intense private painting and drawing training at an early age (1996 - 2001) by the Dutch artist Erica Meyster (1949 - 2006).
Van de Graaf is interested in the connections and relations between the mystical in this world, the sense and the dimension of the spiritual world and our soul. The works express a complex interplay of visual impressions combined with emotional and spiritual reflection. He draws his inspiration from religious and spiritual stories, mythology, mystical places and the philosophy of life.
His art is held in private collections through the Netherlands, the United States and France.
Please tell us more about your background and how you began creating art?
Since I was little I have been drawing and already had a strong desire to create things. It was my English grandmother, Mrs Violet Bessie Stammers (1916 - 2002), who recognised my artistic potential on a more serious level and gave me my first private lessons (1996) in the arts by the Dutch artist Erica Meyster (1949 - 2006). This has led to an intense private painting and drawing training from 1996 to 2001, where I have been able to work in full freedom under supervision of Erica Meyster. This period still remains of great importance to my development as an artist.
It was also my English grandmother who provided my first confrontation with the arts, being an amateur painter herself (and a professional pianist) and a lover of the arts (she was a big fan of Picasso, Chagall and Monet) and I had access to her art books.
After my studies Architecture at the Technical University in Delft I realised I could not work as an architect. Although I enjoyed the designing process, developing a concept or idea and the creative part in general in the field of architecture, I totally missed the freedom and limitless possibilities of creation in painting and drawing. I realised that I have been born as an artist, a painter, and that this would be my path in life. From the moment I decided (with the help of my lovely wife) to switch to the arts (2012) I also decided to dedicate my life to the arts, whatever it takes.
What does your art aim to say to the viewers?
Well, I am quite ambivalent about that, on one hand I like it if the viewer can create their own story about the painting, at the other I also like it when the viewer is feeling and experiencing my intention of the work. I guess it would be ideal if the viewer experiences both worlds.
I wish my art to stimulate an opening towards personal deepening, elicit a reflection of feelings, where the viewer can cross the line from observation to introspection. In my work I like to make the viewer a companion on my journey to seek meaning in life and I hope I can add something small, but valuable to their lives.
Do you have an essential philosophy that guides you in your creative expression?
I believe in reincarnation, karma and the soul. Although I am often inspired by religious texts and places, I prefer to practice faith in a more individual way, without a restrictive religion, but with its knowledge, guidance, energy and inspiration. In this way there is so much freedom and you can switch and intertwine between so many time lines, histories, situations and places.
Another very important source of inspiration is the philosophy of life, which is very down to earth, using the experiences of life as an inspiration, dealing with all the issues in life most people have to deal with.
And that is exactly the space I am interested in, the space where the spiritual world meets the life on earth or visa versa.
I am convinced that trying to keep on improving ourselves will make us a better person, letting us grow on a spiritual level and will restore the connection with our soul. In the end I think this will create a better world.
What art marketing activity do you put into practice regularly that works most successfully for you?
For marketing purposes I use Instagram, my website and I participate in a lot of art competitions and open calls. In the Summer of 2021 I have spent a lot of time designing and building my new website together with a local company. The website is more a sort of entire online portfolio with all my artworks, providing a lot of information which I update regularly. The website works great and my experience is that collectors really appreciate it. I have also built an online presence with several portfolios on different websites and online galleries.
Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your daily routine when working?
My daily routine changes a lot through the week, walking in and out the studio (which is very close to my home), it is more like a lifestyle, but I will describe the days I prefer the most, painting days. I arrive at the studio around 09:00, check my email and do some basic administration and work on my first painting session till 12:30, walk my dog Shaffy (dwarf puddle) to the beach around the corner, have lunch while reading an art book (now Joan Mitchell) or read one of the great Judith Benhamou Reports on my laptop. After my lunch I start the second painting session until 18:30. Afterwards I cook for my wife and me and work out a bit, play the piano, read and research, listen to music or I get back to the studio to have another painting session, or I love to go out for dinner as well. But a large amount of my time is also going to computer work, submissions, open calls, social media and so on.
My creation process is quite organic, but structured, I have a idea of a series, do research about the topic, I usually use a stage for a series so I visit the setting, make my photographs and collect materials, making notes while researching with schemes of paintings possibilities popping up in my mind, make little sketches, turn them into drawings and/ or watercolours, and I also write poems during the process and then… painting! Usually I am also thinking about certain painters (from all times of history) in the process and then I research them and use it as a reference or inspiration in my work. I basically create the context of the painting so that I can channel the expressive and emotional brushwork.
How much planning goes into each artwork?
In order to create the context of the painting, I need the information of the series and collect all my materials. After I have the basic context of the series the painting ideas just pup up in my mind while working. So after having the context there is only a limited amount of time of planning per each painting. When starting the painting I have my storyboard note book, where I make notes for every individual painting, so the context also increases while working on the artwork.
What’s the essential element in your art?
For me the act of painting is something magical, something spiritual. There are so many elements that can exist in painting. The most important thing for me is that the artworks are speaking to the viewer in this magical silent language of painting, that the work is able to communicate with the viewer and is giving something, like a small personal present only a work of art can give. I also like the freedom, the textures, the emotion and feeling, choosing the colours, the composition, I mean I just like every part of it.
In your opinion, what role does the artist have in society?
I think artists play a very important role in society, because they are able to live in and out of society and have the freedom to choose any topic or form of art whatever they feel that is important to them. Art has so many functions, it can change our perspective, inspire, confront, educate, reflect the time we live in, have been living in or are about to live in. Or it can just add some beauty in our life, which is also great! In my opinion art has the capability to change lives in a positive way and is able to make this world for a little bit a better place to live in.
Are there any projects you are currently working on and able to speak about?
Well I am very happy to share I am working towards my solo exhibition in the ‘Salon des Arts’ in Maastricht, the Netherlands, which opens on the 11th of March 2023, 14:00 - 18:00 (during Tefaf Maastricht), curated by Louis Berkhout, and will run until June 2023. The former conservator of the Bonnefanten museum, Maastricht, Ad Himmelreich, is writing an article about me and my work which will be presented at the exhibition.
Apart from this exciting exhibition I am also in the process of finding a suitable international gallery to represent my artworks for the long term.
A very recent project is the publication of my work in the print Aesthetica Magazine issue 110, December 2022 & January 2023, with the inclusion in their online Artists’ Directory.
In near future there will also be a publication of my work in the art book ‘Voices of Tomorrow Art Book’ by Contemporary Art Curators, which will be released in February 2023.
In the studio I am in full progress of my series ‘The Alchemy of Dreams’ which contains oil paintings in a variety of formats, watercolours, study drawings and poems. To see my progress on the series please visit my Instagram @robertvandegraaf my website.
