Can you briefly introduce yourself; who are you and what kind of art do you like to make?
My name is Daphne Bleeker, I live and work in Amsterdam and have been renting a studio space in the Broedplaats behind the Volkshotel for 8 years. In that time, I have personally moved across the city at least six times, so Volks actually feels like my permanent ‘home’.
I have a background in fashion design and clothing making, but in 2018 I picked up a painting brush. I haven’t let go of that since and I mainly express myself in acrylic and oil paint. I also illustrate a lot and very occasionally I sit behind a sewing machine.
My creative process is mainly intuitive, while I also use very considered symbolism in my work, sometimes it depends on how I feel or what the painting is intended for. For example, this year I was given complete creative freedom to make a commissioned painting as a wedding gift, and I will then do my best to translate certain themes such as love, growth and security into it. At the moment I am focusing on my development and experimenting with new techniques and painting styles, while enjoying the painting workshops I teach.
What are your sources of inspiration?
You see a lot of nature in my works, such as flowers, green structures or blue waters. I love organic shapes, Ikebana pieces (the Japanese art of flower arranging) or depicting people I love. I am also inspired by moments that I don’t want to forget and then try to capture them in a painting.
How did you come up with the concept for the window painting? How did that process go?
It started with the theme that was decided for the current holiday season for Volkshotel; 60’s Mod Ski Resort. I went through the mood boards and planted the images of people in minimalist ski suits, retro colored balaclavas, snow-covered slopes and large ski goggles in my head like tiny seeds. Then, after a week, my ideas start to grow and I start sketching a lot until I become happy with the designs.
The design is quite a bit different from the work you normally make: what was it like to work outside your familiar style and in which details do we clearly see your visual signature?
I do indeed think that I don’t easily adopt a winter theme for my personal work, but in the end the images really suit my style. The flowing shapes and composition are an example of this, but the somewhat surreal element is also characteristic, such as at the window where you actually only see wavy lines with, if you look closely, a skier. The intention is that the viewer can also interpret what he/she sees. I also find it very nice to look from the inside out through the windows and paintings during the day, then you can see the structure of the use of brushes at its best, something that you also see a lot in my own paintings.
Has this project led to any other fun new ideas or experiments?
I think that everything that touches you shapes or inspires you in some way. These designs had a graphic angle, I think it would be cool to work with even more color and shadows next time and to be honest, I just got the hang of it and would like to paint the entire Volks area around it.
Is there anything else you would like to share about this project?
As I said, I have been in the Volkshotel studio for 8 years now and it felt good to finally move my work from the studio in the rear wing to the front facade of this bustling building!
