Rieneke paints happy pictures: “ There is a story behind all my paintings ”

Bright colors on a painter’s palette, the Hengelo Rieneke Metselaar runs her brush through it and gets to work. His style? “Bright, loose and playful colors.”

It’s been eight years since Rieneke picked up the brush and started painting. “Since 2013, I started taking painting lessons with Gerard Kokhuis. I took courses there for several years, I became more and more enthusiastic. I also started to develop my own style more and more, from time to time I try new things. That’s what makes it so fun. Since 2019, I paint or draw something almost every day. If I haven’t done anything for a few days, I get restless. It’s almost addictive, but in a good way, ”she said.

Painting while traveling

Whether your love for painting runs deep, it quickly becomes clear when much of your luggage is made up of painting materials during a month of travel. “I went to New Zealand with my partner. I had everything with me, I had two kilos of drawing and painting materials in my suitcase. I also went there to do something everyday. Sometimes I painted a stone, which I also left behind, or I made a map for the people we rented the house to. I also left things behind in random places. “

First painting

In the meantime, Rieneke has already painted a lot of canvases and carried a lot of tubes of paint. Does she still remember her first painting? “It was a still life, we had to sketch and draw during this lesson. I remember finding it very complicated at the time. I don’t have it anymore, this painting was the start of this whole process. I also think you can play and learn in your job, it doesn’t have to be all Rembrandt.

pretty one

“It relaxes, it clears your mind. It’s also good to create something, it doesn’t always have to be beautiful and everything doesn’t work immediately and it’s not bad at all. Painting is a very patient job and it also helps to relax. The most important thing is that I particularly appreciate it. We get to know each other well by painting, we also meet from time to time. I also have canvases that I have already covered three times. There used to be a landscape to see, now it’s a big bouquet of flowers and I’m not sure if it’s the final one yet.

“I am also a coach and I am currently in training. My goal is to eventually combine that with the artistic.

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Paintings

From flowers and landscapes to all kinds of different birds. What does Rieneke paint? “They are often very bright and vivid colors. These are usually cheerful things like cakes, flowers, or cheerful landscapes. It really suits me. It varies from small to large. I also sometimes combine it with embroidery and then apply the thread to the canvas. Sometimes I also paint in an abstract way, but I find it difficult. I try everything, but I often come back to these bright colors. At the moment, I really enjoy painting flowers and bouquets.

Style

Is the style in which Rieneke paints now very different from that of his beginnings in 2013? Has his job changed over the years? “It’s now a lot bolder and less tight. There is more of me in it now. Over the years, I have improved myself to improvise and correct my mistakes. It’s looser, it’s more natural. The style of my work suits who I am. I have become more visible in my work. “

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Inspiration

Where does Rieneke get her inspiration for her works? “I take a lot of inspiration from everything I see around me. It can be nature, but also on the Internet or in museums. I always take it with me and just try everything. It really is a process. I just started. It usually starts out as a mess and based on that I’m going to remove or strengthen things. I will also convert shapes to, for example, a flower. I don’t have a picture in my head and I often see where it ends.

Reactions

Rieneke’s passion for what she does is reflected in the positive reactions she receives at work. “I think the best compliment is when people say; It makes me so happy. I always like to hear that. It makes a lot of people happy and curious about how I work. I hope to convey this feeling with my art. “

Own story

Which painting is special for Rieneke? “They all have their own story. For example, with a friend, I painted a very large sheet of paper, halfway through, we changed and we continued each other’s work. Then we cut it out and turned it into small works of art in a booklet. It’s special because we did it together too. I also have a work of art in black and white tones, which is very different from what I usually do. I also like that a lot. I don’t really have a favorite, but I have different stories with all the paintings. They belong to a specific period or time. When I watch it, I can bring back the fun. Memories through a work of art. “

Workshops

Rieneke hopes to convey his enthusiasm for painting during his workshops. “We are working on a theme with a small group. For example flowers, animals or birds and we not only use paint, but also paper or collages. Due to the crown everything has come to a standstill, can’t wait to start over. “

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Despite

“I am proud to try new things. I am also proud to see the development and growth. This inner critic is still there, but I’m less strict with myself. Now I can also laugh at myself and the mistakes I make.

“My ambition is to develop myself further as an artistic coach in the years to come. I also think it would be cool to have a nice big studio. Here I can meet people I supervise or work with. “

What’s still on the paint list? “I would like to make a beautiful, well-balanced abstract work. It’s so difficult, I would like to get there. A minimalist and abstract work.

Rieneke is far from thinking of putting down the brush. “I will continue to paint all my life!”