Saturday, March 10, 2007

Meeting Aldo


There are not too many contemporary painters whose works I admire. Aldo Balding (b. 1960) is definitely one of them. I got familiar with his typical style of painting because he is one of the artists connected to my wife's art agency. The progression of his work that I witnessed for a couple of years now, proves he is on the right track.
Last Thursday he came to Amsterdam after making preliminary sketches in Rotterdam for a portrait commission. We picked him up at the train station and walked home. He appeared to be a charming person with a good sense of humour. It was his first visit to Holland. The weather was very nice and I noticed he immediately registered the beauty of the sunlit old town centre. So we spend what was left of the afternoon walking along the canals making photographs. We talked a lot about painting and I got filled with joy. It appeared to be one of those rare occasions where one meets a congenial spirit. The next morning, on the way back from the airport, I felt sorry he could not stay longer. I am looking forward seeing him again. Maybe in the South of France where he lives and works.

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