Earthy Elegance
Portraits of Natural Beauty
In my childhood, I felt different with my red hair in a blonde family. Did I belong here? The colour of my hair was reason for schoolkids to bully me. My shyness did not help me turn the tables. A true turning point came when our family moved to Scotland for some years. Here I realised that being part of a minority could be something to be proud of. Embracing my red hair had become a source of confidence, and I finally felt like I belonged. I regularly invite redheads to be in front of my camera. Some years ago I started this series of portraits in my studio with the golden locks emerging from the darkness, as if they emit light.
Also in nature, I find myself drawn to the earthy colours of red, orange, and brown. These colours in the natural world resonate with me.
In this book I have brought people and nature together as diptychs. In a way they share their beauty, belong together and create a feeling of harmony and belonging.
Dummy (NL)
Ik heb gespeeld, getwijfeld, gestoeid, geworsteld en uitgesteld. En nu is het zover: mijn ‘dummy’ boek ‘Earthy Elegance – Portraits of Natural Beauty’ is klaar.
‘Dummy’ betekent tijdelijke versie van een product dat wordt gebruikt om te testen of om een concept te illustreren. Voor mij is deze ‘dummy’ een tastbaar resultaat van mijn idee, verhaal, mijn keuzes, bewerkingen, combinaties en volgorde, dat ik nodig heb om de volgende fase in te gaan. Mijn droom is dat ik het boek écht kan uitgeven en dat er mensen zijn die het kopen en er volop van genieten. Maar dat gaat niet zomaar. Dan moet het goed genoeg zijn, interessant genoeg en er moet geld genoeg zijn. Daarom ga ik met deze ‘dummy’ ook weer spelen, twijfelen, stoeien en worstelen. Maar niet uitstellen. Hou deze pagina daarom in de gaten…
Dummy (Eng)
I have played, hesitated, wrestled, struggled, and delayed. And now the moment has arrived: my ‘dummy’ book ‘Earthy Elegance – Portraits of Natural Beauty’ is complete.
In this context, ‘dummy’ refers to a provisional version of a product used for testing or illustrating a concept. For me, this ‘dummy’ represents a tangible result of my idea, narrative, choices, edits, combinations, and sequence – all of which are necessary as I move into the next phase. My aspiration is to actually publish the book and for there to be individuals who purchase it and derive immense enjoyment from it. However, this won’t come without challenges. It needs to attain a certain level of quality, hold enough interest, and require sufficient funding. Hence, I will once again engage in refining, doubting, experimenting, and grappling with this ‘dummy’. But I won’t procrastinate any longer. Therefore keep an eye on this page…