Art – Iris Veenendaal

I paint for the bold and colourful, for those who didn’t fit in. For those considered different and for those who don’t feel seen.   

 

My collection is a vibrant celebration of self-reflection, and working through your darkest parts. My work is about reconnecting to your core, and allowing yourself to be free. Not just free enough to match the people around you, but so freaking liberated that others will cringe at you.  

 

My inspiration comes from things I am working through myself, or injustices I can’t stay silent about. It always starts with a feeling that compels me to create. Often instigated by fear or anger, I create paintings that give hope and inspire. In the (often female) portraits I paint, you can see both strength and vulnerability in the subject. The duality between these two states is what inspires me endlessly, and so I amplify this dual-state with high contrast and vivid colour.  

 

My paintings are made up of (just like we are) many, many layers. I start in chaos with spray paint and inks, but my final layers are always done in oil paint. There’s just nothing quite like the richness and depth that oil paint adds to a painting. And I love the duplexity of creating something beautiful from raw chaos. 

 

Colourful portrait of Iris Apfel in mixed media with oil paint. Expressive and vibrant artwork. Original fine art by Dutch artist Iris Veenendaal. 

40×50 cm Original mixed media oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas. Ready to hang.

Every month different artists have an exhibition in ACU. Write few words about yourself and your passion to art@acu.nl and we will try to figure something out!