Before I began my art study at the University of Haifa, Israel, I used mainly to draw and to paint.
I took also photographs, but without artistic pretensions. At the time of the study I have got bad impression of most of my drawing and painting teachers. It was because they pushed me to work abstract, as this was the “fashion” (again fashion!) at that time. Because I am figurative oriented, I didn’t like that and when I had to choose my themes for the second study year, I decided to try also photography. I thought then, that what you see is what you get. But, though this was at that time analogue photography, manipulation at the darkroom was broad accepted. I chose then my own, traditional way, while executing children photography. Thanks to this subject I got involved with snapshots photography: see the situation, evaluate, be fast and get the result!
After my study and moving to The Netherlands, I continued taking snapshots of my new living town, Doetinchem. At the same time I continued to draw and paint nude models.
Nevertheless, I felt that there must be a manner to merge these art forms into one art work. Wishing to combine photography with drawing and painting, I started to mix them in my artistic work. It began in 1992 with creating photo collages. The photos were made first, where after they were cut, glued and a drawing or painting around them completed the artwork. But, this means that I should have enough photos to cut and glue, even if there were unforeseen mistakes while doing that. Therefore I decided in 1995 to opposite the process: painting bodies first and taking photos of the results afterwards. Herewith I continued my exploration of merging the different art forms as expression of my love for these forms of art.
As result, when applying the color and form from my imaginary or surroundings to the body, it gets an extra dimension. The photography completes the artistic work and the photos are the only remained material of the done efforts.
My inspiration-sources for the body-paintings are variable. Sometimes they are very recognized, inspired by the nature around us and related to it. On the other hand, the climate in the Netherlands is not the most suitable to work outdoor the whole year around. Therefore I am forced to work often in the studio, where the art works can be identified with existing elements, like the chess-board, music-notes, clocks or even… abstract forms.
My body-paintings are bundled in a book named “Coloured Skins” which I presented in 2010. Unfortunately, the presentation is in Dutch only, but the pictorial language is international. This book from 2009 and a comprehensive version from 2017 can be purchased. See the 2017 book here.