Personal Archives - Page 3 of 6

15 February 2015

Late Rembrandt in Amsterdam

Because of my short stay in the Netherlands for some portrait commissions, I had the opportunity to visit the Late Rembrandt exhibition. I got the ticket as a gift. (thank you Julie)
What can I say about the exhibition? Staggering! Rembrandt is the greatest painter Holland ever had. In his heydays he was a most appreciated and well payed artist. Because of private problems, he became impoverished, was declared bankrupt and lost everything he owned. He could not even pay his rent anymore. In Amsterdam, he was reviled. The exhibition deals with these last difficult years.

rembrandt Claudius Civillis — Claudius Civillis

Looking at one of his last commissions, Claudius Civillis I feel the anger towards the established order. Allthough the commission was acquired, it later was removed from its important place in the new town hall of Amsterdam. I see an artist experimenting his techniques and at the same time willfully seeking for problems with his clients.

If I should name three highlights: the portrait of Jan Six, a Woman Bathing in a Stream and finally An Old Woman Reading. This last painting really moved me deeply.

8 February 2015

Mario Monreal

It is five years ago this week that our friend Mario Monreal died. Mario was a great pianist and a affectionate friend. Yesterday, on the occasion of the anniversary of his death, a concert was given in Sagunto at the Cultural Center that bears his name. One of the three performers was his widow. My contribution to the commemoration was a portrait of him – a schematic black and white picture that is used in publicity.

When I think of Mario a warm summer night comes to mind when he played his grand piano. It was not a concert but one of his daily rehearsals in his music room where Helma and I happened to be quietly present. It was already dusk, the space was unlit. A balmy breeze stirred the curtains. At my request Mario played Chopin- Waltz no. 7 in C sharp minor. Magical moments and we were incredibly lucky to be part of that opportunity.

(Mario can be heard in a number of my videos.)

24 December 2014

Happy Christmas 2

The First Noël – Suus & Will Will Sophie is my cousin who is playing his compositions in some of my videos. With his partner he recorded this Christmas song. MUST SEE & LISTEN. Thank you Will and Suus!

Hear him playing in my videos.

https://youtu.be/EAJ4D9hgIAw

30 November 2014

Portrait of a paella

It’s been 25 years since we arrived in Valencia. We came for one year but never left. Since then I could work exclusively with portrait painting. One of the first contacts we had in Valencia was the German Consul. I remember he said: “Ben, if you want to integrate well here, you should know whether to talk on Monday morning about football or paella“. I think we are very well integrated, but whether it was due to the advice of the consul I do not know. I do love football and paella though. I myself think that making friends is one of the most important things that you need to do to feel at home in a country. And we have made countless friendships in the recent decades. One of our many friends is Maria. She is a pianist and teaches at the conservatory. Last year I made a short video when she played Camille Saint-Saëns with her friend Carla.

This weekend we were guests of her parents. Vicente, Maria´s father, is a specialist in making paella in the traditional Valencian way. Below is a photo report, and a link to the recipe of traditional Valencian paella.

22 October 2014

Portrait painting & music

A short message in this mid-week post. In some of my portrait painting videos, the music is provided by my cousin Will Sophie. For those who want to learn to play guitar like Will: that is possible. Check out his video, really great. I wish you lots of success Will.

My cousin Will teaching how to play Southern Rock Licks

19 October 2014

Mum, I wanna be a carpenter!

As a young child I knew what I wanted to be. Not a fireman or a pilot. I wanted to be a carpenter. My neighbour was a carpenter and it seemed to me the best job in the world. When I told this to my mother one day, she replied literally, “No, Ben, you can do more.” However, I wanted nothing else. With my very first pocket money I bought a bag of brand new nails at the hardware store. I had seen my dad always dabbling with these bent, rusty things that needed to be straightened. All that fiddling, not my thing. No. I had made up my mind. I wanted to tackle things rigorous from the start. But… I did not become a carpenter.

Eventually I went into art, portrait painting. And devotedly. It’s come to dominate my life as I wrote you last week. But besides painting I did however teach myself carpentry as a hobby. Once in Spain, I got the opportunity to build my own studio. And I seized this chance with both hands. From the first construction drawings to the building itself. The masonry, the welding work, the plumbing, the electricity, and of course the carpentry, everything done by myself, albeit with the help of my wife. It has become a perfect studio and a wonderful workplace. That was fifteen years ago. Recently we moved to an other place and I work in a different studio now. Strangely enough I don´t miss my old studio. Maybe the building process itself was more important than the finished result (traveling is better than arriving, so it often goes). Continue reading “Mum, I wanna be a carpenter!”

12 October 2014

Don´t marry, he said…

“If you are planning to make a living out of art, I have to warn you, it might consume you completely. It will confiscate your life and hinder any relationship. In fact, Ben, it is wise not to marry.¨ These are the words of Beatus Nijs, my art teacher. I was fifteen years old and did not really understand the meaning of his ardent advice. I was a boy. Almost fifty years later, casting my mind back, I recognize some truth in this statement.

The large painting that I am busy with, sequestrates me completely, and not just when I’m painting. Also when I am eating, when I go shopping, or taking the daily walk with my wife. Continuously the work is in my mind. For me it´s no problem but for people around me it certainly is. I am not very sociable. However I’m glad I never followed Beatus´s advice. Of course.

21 September 2014

Good times in Holland

Delevering portrait commission — Delevering a portrait commission at Morren Galeries, Utrecht

Having delivered some portrait commissions at Morren Galleries in Utrecht we went to the isle of Texel in the North of the Netherlands. September is bird migration time and Texel is a good place to be. Some members of my family are trained birdwatchers. With them we walked and watched. For those who are interested, this is the list of birds we saw this morning at National park the Slufter: Grey Heron, Little Egret, Bean Goose, Greylag Goose, White-fronted Goose, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Common Eider, Common Shelduck, Hen Harrier, Roug-legged Buzzard, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Common Pheasant, Great-ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Common Greenshank, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Collared Dove, Turtle Dove, Wood Pigeon, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipet, Northern Wheatear, Robin, Common Stonechat, Blackbird, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Eurasian Jay, Common Starling, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Jackdaw, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Yellowhammer, Egyptian Goose.

Although the real migration did not start yet this week we had a great time!

31 August 2014

25 years ago

Next week it will be 25 years since we left Holland and moved to Spain. Friends offered their house in Valencia. We planned to stay for a year but then never came back. We set our wings to the wind, to wider horizons. In Holland we were very happy and content, as we are now in Spain. Here was work to provide our livelihood, sometimes more, sometimes less, but we managed. We have been lucky to make many friends, and we still enjoy the simple life, in rural Spain. None of us knows what lies in store for us tomorrow. But just more of the same, that would be great.

My scrapbook of the first year of our stay in Spain

29 July 2014

Sun-dried tomato rack

No portrait painting today! It is harvest time in our kitchen garden, in particular for the tomatoes. Beside ketchup and sauces, Helma makes sun-dried tomatoes. Based on two canvas stretchers that I had to hand I did some tinkering. (remember I wanted to be a carpenter?) With a number of slats, insect-screens, a hinge and four iron angle brackets. Maybe it turned out far too firm. It can stand rough handling, I’d say. When the tomatoes are dried in the sun, after two weeks, we will store them in olive oil. Moreover, that oil comes from the olive groves next to our garden, among others. We wonder how the sun dried tomatoes will taste! See some recipes.