Auction

A few days ago someone told me that a painting by my hand titled "Woman with hat" is going to be sold this month at auction house Korst & Van der Hoef in Den Bosch.
I could not remember what painting it was. Fortunately I could check an online cathalogue and there it was...

Of course I immediately recognized the little portrait I painted in 1980 of Rita who happened to be my girlfriend at that time. My relationship with her had not lasted very long. Mainly due to the fact that a gruesome experience in her past had caused an alcohol problem that appeared to be too serious for me to handle in the long run.

The painting is interesting not only because I painted it while being in love, but also because it is in fact the very first portrait I painted. And it was not bad at all.

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.