Katja van den Bogaert

I am deeply drawn to exploring the relationship between the seen and the unseen. I believe my inner world and outer reality are connected, that we create our reality. As such my paintings are a reflection of my personal journey. In my art studio, I work intuitively on painting adding, layering and blending. Until the seen and the unseen harmonize with my spirit and resonate with my soul. Art remains as a strong contender of how we share our thoughts and ideas. It has the possibility of changing one thoughts, create other feeling and expand to new ideas. Just one new idea can change a person’s perception and life. Come as you are, be as you wish, feel it now and elevate your soul Technique The material I use is a linen canvas. I work with acrylic paint and start a la prima, with a brush, roller or sponge to build layers. I love to create a raw base. I repeat this until it has reached an interesting diversity of texture, colour and form. A medium flat brush is used to create stripes in several directions so that the painting does not look flat but that it gets a depth which triggered the eyes in different directions. A bigger hake brush is used to finalize the last layers of waves. I react on what is happening on the canvas. The colours are very important to me. I start with a set of colours, in the making I decide which colour is needed. I love to work with bright colours, that looks fresh, energised and sparkling. Colours, using different materials and organic forms and structures are the essentials for my artwork. The abstract painting allows my carefree spirit the freedom to create acting on impulse driven by instinct. How I feel is important to create a good energy and allow the process organically. I desire to create paintings that engages the viewer and triggers a sensory response and strong emotion. Artwork that seems to come to life and almost becoming their own life form. If you look longer and see and feel, it is a layered story. A world that lies deep beyond the surface of my paintings. I prefer when it pleasures the eyes, resonates with the people and really fits the environment. Painting is my voice, my language. It is the truest version of myself that I can only describe in words as a sacred communion of emotion, spiritual and physical presence. Serving as a bridge that connects me at a greater level of consciousness. My creative process is not inhibited by my conscious thought but rather come from an intuitive place. There is a layered story within my compositions, a world that lies deep beyond the surface. The portraits are rooted in the knowledge for inner authority, souverrinety and peace of the inner being.