''Artist's Saloon: The Dark Edition'' featuring Witty Art!

A while back, on December 16th 2015 to be precise, I attended a very special get-together with fellow artists. An Artist's Saloon is a small and informal gathering of artists with similar interests and ideas or concepts and meant to share insights and inspiration with each other. Organised by fellow artist and host of the evening Daniel van Nes (whose work I absolutely adore and whom I had the pleasure of sharing an exhibition with way back, during the summer of 2013), this was a so-called  ''Dark Art Edition''.

I brought some of my most recent pencil drawings as well as my Witty Art Book ''My Life In Limbo'', which provided input for some interesting discussions and some food for fought as how to take my art to the next level. Some seriously interesting suggestions were made and I am currently exploring all these.

So, it turned out to be one extremely inspiring evening - and yes, there will be definitely a follow-up!

More Witty Art moved to a happy new home!

Sold these two pieces of Witty Art quite a while ago. Here they are on display at their very happy new owner's home: ''Never Know, Not Again'' (left) and ''Pleased To Meet You #3'' (right). Both drawings were shown at the Pop Up Expo ''Maak Het Mee'', early 2015 and were purchased right there and then by its new owner.

It's always a great feeling to see my work on display at their forever homes! Check this page to see more Witty Art decorating people's homes or offices.

Rediscovering "Willow Minnows'': a bunch of little cheeky bastards!

In 2012, I began working on a series called ''Willow Minnows''. As often in my work, this series also featured a bunch of little ''unsung heroes''. The little folk battling the far higher powers that be. The first two drawings came about pretty quickly, then somehow, my attention got divided and turned elsewhere, to other Witty Art Series.

It was not sooner than fall 2014, when I started working on what I thought was a new set of drawings, for a fresh new series. But as I was working on them, it soon became clear that these were part of ''The Willow Minnows'' family, or tribe, or whatever you want to call it.

It's within the very nature of Witty Art Series that some are ''ongoing'', as in: I can work on them enthusiastically for a while, and then put them aside for a while. Not because I am done with them at that moment, but because I have said what I wanted to say for now and it's time for a break. And it's not that I forget all about them, as I work on other series of drawings, and Singles too. It's more like often some work needs to rest for some time, to grow, to ripe, pretty much like a fine wine or cheese. And some work needs a bit longer time than others.

To me, it's always a surprise when I look at work I've stored away for a while. Will I find the work still as interesting, as thrilling as I first created it? Will I see new things, discover new insights, feel something I didn't feel before? When I do, I almost always instantly know there will be more of these. New additions to this specific series, or new ways of exploring the theme in a more Singles-like manner.

Sometimes, I just find the series is ''done'' all together. And that's also fine. 

But in the case of ''Willow Minnows'', none of the above. I just started working on them again, while not even knowing or realising I was doing so. And, it was just as good that I did, as I managed to sell one of the later drawings almost immediately.

Just goes to show what a bunch of cheeky ones these ''Willow Minnows'' are. Never underestimate them - at least I won't!

I will dedicate a separate blogspost to these new drawings soon!

'Silent Screamin' for cryin' out loud!

Just a little series I made a while ago. ''Silent Screamin'' consists of six parts so far, but to be honest, there is one older drawing that I consider to be the ''prequel'' to this series of drawings. That one was sold a couple of years ago and unfortunately, I currenlty do not have a proper digital version of it at hand, so I am not able to show it to you all. But will make sure of that in the near future! 

Anyway, as far as this little series go, I think they are strong enough to speak for themselves: 

''Silent Screamin', For Cryin' Out Loud!''

'Sweet Unbearable You': the unwilling object of too much loving affection

Now, on to another series I created earlier this year: "Sweet Unbearable You'', which, for me, is all about idolisation and the effect it has on people: on both an over-adoring fandom as well as the object of their adoration, as the relationship between the two becomes more and more inseparable and more than once, increasingly uncomfortable.

Somehow, I think the images speak for themselves, really. And yes, this is yet another series I want to explore further. To be continued!

Old versus New Tools: Let's Ink & Get Inked!

Old versus New Tools. I am always a bit reluctant to get rid of old pens, brushes, and so on. So much Witty Art has been created with those, it feels almost ungrateful to replace them, to reject them even, just because they have served their time... But... at the same time, I feel immensily excited and eager to get to work with brand new tools, and now even more so because... Finally, I can work again, create new Witty Art with my most treasured materials. 

Let's Ink & Get Inked!

Yet another proud owner of Witty Art comes forward

Just another picture of another proud owner of Witty Art. As you can see, this one is quite the connaisseur when it comes to collecting modern art ;-)

As a matter of fact, you can see much more pictures of Witty Art at their proud new owners' happy homes here.