Bart van der Meiden
Artist, illustrator, designer
Who
I am fascinated by the material properties of paint and enjoy exploring how the addition of different materials gives rise to new textures, depth and forms. This lends my work a distinctly tactile quality, where not only the image itself, but also the physical experience of its surface plays an important role.
What
The paintings emerge from a dialogue between the artist and the material. The process begins by bringing the canvas to life through the intuitive application of paint. Gradually, the work develops in a particular direction, opening up a space for dialogue.
Through a process of listening, misunderstanding and reinterpretation, the artist discovers what the canvas is asking for. The misunderstandings do not disappear; they remain as hidden layers beneath the surface of the finished painting. They carry their own stories and become part of the foundation of the work.
Before
1989 – 1993
Hogeschool voor de kunsten Utrecht
1993 – 1995
PABO (Pedagogische Academie voor het Basisonderwijs)
1996 – 2000
Magazine illustration
1999 – Today
Designer and art-director for digital media
2017 – Today
Artist