Back in Rotterdam
1980-1992
In 1980, I settled back in Rotterdam, the city where I was born and raised.
From 1981 onward, I was part of the BKR, the visual artists' program. The BKR enabled me to produce work and improve my professional practice.
Post-war aesthetic
The work I created for the program was partly destined for the Rotterdam Artotheek, and another portion went to the national government.
I created contemporary Rotterdam cityscapes, oil on canvas or panel, simple color planes with a powerful drawing style that suited post-war Rotterdam.
Debut exhibition
In 1986, I had my debut exhibition in my hometown, together with fellow artists Krisia Peka and Harry van der Woerd, at Galerie NRP, Nieuw Rotterdams Peil.
This beautiful gallery was located in the Oostplein metro station, and Hetty Bruijs was the gracious hostess.
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Outdoor watercolors
My large oil paintings proved difficult to sell on the open market, so I decided to create smaller, more lighthearted works that would appeal to more people.
I drove around in my van and created watercolors of the harbors, shipyards, and other locations around Rotterdam.
The watercolors were all the same size, and I neatly framed them with a mat and a 50x65 cm aluminum interchangeable frame.
The watercolors sold well and also provided a nice counterpoint to the oil paintings during my exhibitions.
