Interview with Robert van de Graaf
Robert van de Graaf (1983, born in The Hague, 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 he worked on several art-related projects.
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, like his major exhibition in Europol Headquarters, The Hague, the Netherlands in 2019. Robert has been selected for the ‘Emerging Artist Programme 2023’ by Contemporary Art Collectors as one of the 20 internationally chosen artists.
He also enjoyed an intense private painting and drawing training at an early age (1996 - 2001) by the Dutch artist Erica Meyster (1949 - 2006). This period remains of great importance to his development as an artist.
Van de Graaf is interested in the connections and relations between the mystical in this world, in all its manifestations (the sea, the sky, nature, human built environments, light and darkness), and the sense and the dimension of the spiritual world and our soul.
In his exploration he is seeking the mystical hidden in this world which he translates into metaphorical paintings. The works express a complex interplay of visual impressions combined with emotional and spiritual reflection. Each piece gives substance to his ongoing personal journey to seek meaning in life.
He draws his inspiration from religious and spiritual stories, mythology, mystical places and the philosophy of life. His poetry, written during or before the creative process, also has a direct influence on his work.
Though primarily working on his oil paintings, he is also using drawings and watercolours during the creation process. The works are layered, densely merging his diverse range of mark making, the expressive use of colour and studied compositions. The paintings are often large in scale and balance between the figurative and the abstract, giving a certain freedom to the viewer.
His art is held in private collections through the Netherlands, the United States and France.
Can you tell us about the moment you decided to pursue a career as an artist?
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 kind of an artist do you ultimately see yourself?
My dream is to be able to continue to dedicate my life to the arts and being able to keep on exploring painting and my inspirations. Ultimately I see myself flying around the world for all the exhibitions of my work. In near future I would like to have more time to create (less duties, more painting), to make more paintings, bigger paintings, being represented by one or more international galleries.
It is my dream that my work is able to add something small, but valuable to the viewers and collectors of my work.
My main focus will always be painting, but it would be very interesting to be able to create some sculptures as well and to be able to work on all the other projects I have in mind. Some of those projects have a very small scale and some have a huge scale, we will see which ones are going to happen, maybe they will all happen!…, lol.
What do you want your art to convey to the people who see it? What is the meaning or creative motivation behind your work?
I wish my artworks to stimulate an opening towards personal deepening. They should provoke a reflection of feelings, emotions and contemplation into the spiritual from the viewer, crossing the line from observation to introspection.
I believe in reincarnation, karma and the soul. From that perspective 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.
Can you tell us about the process you use to create your works? What is your typical workday routine?
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.
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.
Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to create?
My inspiration comes from religious and spiritual stories, mythology, mystical places and the philosophy of life. Also my poetry, which I write before beginning a new body of work or during the creation, forms an important inspiration for my work.
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.
On a personal level creating artworks is a necessity for me, I feel so alive and connected while and after working. To me especially painting is something spiritual. When I have painted a lot I always feel much better than when I had to spent a lot of time doing computer work.
On a more general level I am convinced that arts plays a very crucial important role in society, because artists are able to live both in and out of society. 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. 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.
What has been your most outstanding achievement to date?
The artworks I have been creating. To create a consistent body of work which continues to develop through time.
Recently I have been selected as one of the 20 internationally chosen artists for the ‘Emerging Artist Program 2023’ by Contemporary Art Collectors. I am very happy with that.
Also my upcoming exhibition in Maastricht in ‘Le Salon des Arts’ which will be opened by Ad Himmelreich, the former curator of the Bonnefanten Museum (Maastricht, the Netherlands) is a very good achievement. On the opening he will also present an article written about me and my work.
But I think the most outstanding achievement is something a collector friend of mine said to me about living with the several works of mine he owns. He said; “Your works of art enrich my life so much, they have become my friends, the works communicate with me and give me something very personal and valuable.” This makes me smile so much and it confirms me I am on the right track.
What are your ultimate career goals?
My ultimate goal as an artist is that my art will reach people all over the world, being represented by one or more international galleries, to being included in good and important private and institutional art collections around the world. On an artistic level I hope I will be able to keep on learning, exploring, improving in the magical field of the arts as long as possible. And I hope that my art will bring something valuable and positive to this world.
On a more personal level I just wish that I can make a very good living from my art for my wife and me, so that I can give my wife the freedom (she is also a writer, fashion designer, painter, interior designer, but is too busy with her practice) she gave to me to re-start my career as an artist after my architecture period.
What are you working on now, and what can we expect from you soon?
In the studio I am in full progress of my series ‘The Alchemy of Dreams’ (started in May 2022) 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 or my website. A small poem I wrote about the series;
“For those air castles becoming true,
giving birth through the soul on earth,
letting the heart swim in peaceful waters.”
Also, I am very happy to share I am working towards my solo exhibition in ‘Le Salon des Arts’ in Maastricht, the Netherlands, which opens on the 11th of March 2023, 14:00 - 18:00 (during Tefaf Maastricht), curated by Ad Himmelreich, the former curator of the Bonnefanten museum, Maastricht, and will run until May 2023. Ad Himmelreich is also writing an article about me and my work which will be presented at the exhibition. If you are in the neighbourhood, you are very welcome to stop by.
Furthermore I am also in the process of finding a suitable international gallery to represent my artworks for the long term. So I hope you will see a lot of my work and me in near future…
