A postcard can make a big difference

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  • Een kaartje voor JUST A CARD dag
  • logo just a card
  • ansichtkaart dotpainting Ibbel Dibbel

Buying a single postcard can really make a difference for a designer, maker or small business owner. That is the idea behind the non-profit organization JUST A CARD.

Show your support

With their online and offline campaign, JUST A CARD encourages the general public to support artists, makers and independent stores by buying ‘just one postcard’ from them. If you’re not ready or willing to buy a painting or other work of art, you can still show that you appreciate the artwork. And when enough people do this, it makes a difference. Not only financially, but also emotionally. Because everyone likes to be appreciated.

And of course you can also show your support by liking posts of artists on social media. Even better, by posting a comment or sharing a message! This way even more people get to see that post.

One amazing day to celebrate Artists, Makers, Independent Shops and Small Businesses

Today, June 17, 2019, has been named JUST A CARD day on Instagram, Twitter and in the London Underground. By following the hashtags #justacard and #justsupportsmall on Instagram and Twitter you can discover many designers and makers and support their work.

An excellent date for me to finally write a new blog and to put my ‘just a card’ cards on my website. Two cards from earlier work that I made in 2008 and in 2009. I printed the cards years ago, when I still earned my living making DM campaigns with postcards. When DM still meant Direct Mail. 😉

Love of print

And that love for print has remained with me up to the present day. A real postcard has a completely different effect than the steady flow of emails in the inbox of your phone, tablet or computer. The postcard will receive way more positive attention.

So maybe you can support me by engaging with me on social media and buy a postcard or other artwork from me. And you know, you don’t even have to send the postcards, just pop them in a nice frame. Instant art for your wall!

New start

I started with building this website, a way to share and show my art. New artwork will be updated to my shop regularly. This wil include dot paintings, hand painted cards and I’m also introducing custom printed cards and prints on beautiful paper in October. I use Instagram as a way to connect and showcase my art as I am creating it so it would be great if I can see you there!

In 2015 I wrote my last blog before ‘starting’ again. That blog was about my father. I didn’t publish it until today. I doubted for a long time whether I wanted to share it or not. But everything that happened then has been a turning point for me. You cannot wait for things to happen to you, you have to determine and make your own path. How scary that may be. So wish me luck and support me in any way you ca

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Experimenting with colours and patterns

Kleurrijke ondergrond

In the summer of 2010 I started experimenting with new patterns and new acrylic paint. I used very bright colours for my first layer, the background, to create some organic shapes. After finishing the first layer I nearly stopped, but I just just felt there would have to be some dots on this painting.

I have inserted the photographs of he first layer and one of the finished painting. As you can see, I kind of let myself go during my layer of dots. I tried all this different patterns and used different colours, to break up the large chunks of colour.

In the end I went a bit overboard and created a painting that’s a bit disturbing, as in not calming at all. So while the process of making it was very relaxing, the end result is not, It’s a bit much of everything: too much colour and too many shapes. But still, every time I see this painting, it makes me smile. Because I remember how much fun I had creating this.

Experimenteren met kleuren en patronen

Disturbing

The thing that was most disturbing to me, was the quantity of the colours I used for the dots. And I really pushed the experimenting phase by applying lots of different patterns. I just pushed a little bit too hard. In retrospect. But hey, it was an experiment.

It did show me that evidently I would rather work with less colours and patterns. Or that I maybe have a natural tendency for resisting something new.

I did like some details of the painting. Especially the green circle with the bronze patterns on it.

The bronze acrylic paint appealed to me so much, that I used this colour straight away for a new painting. With less colours and more straight lines instead of the organic shapes. Kind of like a self inflicted correction. Isn’t it strange how I can remember this ‘decision’ even though it was five years ago?!

As I haven’t painted for almost a year, I realize that I’m missing it. Having an idea, starting with the creation and finishing a piece that is not exactly as I envisaged it. And how your mind can’t help thinking about a new painting, while you’re still working on this one.

Time to start again.

While I was selecting photographs, I saw something that I had forgotten. While I’m working on a new painting, I take photographs of the entire process. That’s how I remembered that I put my children’s names in the painting and then covered them with lots of dots. Maybe that’s the reason why the painting makes me smile happily.

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Lines and dots

Een dotpainting met minder stippen

In 2008 I started this painting by applying a beautiful red background. I added the black lines to form rectangles on the canvas before thinking of dots. And even though the children asked for a painting without dots, the dots on this canvas just followed naturally.

Once I begin with painting dots, there is always the question “How many dots is enough?”. This painting feels good to me despite of the the fact that it isn’t full of dots. That doesn’t happen very often though.

I just realized that one of my last paintings that I worked on (2014) was actually set up in the same way. This time with a dark brown background, white lines and dots. In terms of composition, I was very happy with it, but then I put that canvas aside because I wanted to make something with more colors. So there are already lines on it, but no dots yet.

Warm red

Around the same time I made the painting from the above detail, I also painted the background on a new canvas.  Again I chose a warm red background to start with. And I was so happy with the colour that I never got round to make it a real dot painting. Ever since there has been a beautiful warm red square hanging on my wall. I still think it’s a shame to paint something on top of this beautiful colour. Maybe later, when I’m all grown up.

***UPDATE*** I guess I’m all grown up now. In 2017 I painted lots of dots on the canvas with the warm red background. It’s called High Energy.

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