Last month I tried my hand at some very simple shapes, that still do depict the essence of a Dutch landscape. The Dutch landscape should be simple really, yet it took me a while to get here...
Top Left you see a cloud and its reflection in the small polder canals. It also very much resembles a ‘koppoter’, a 'cephalopod', you know, those humans you draw when only 3 years old, just head, arms and legs. Then top right is about the change from polder ground to lake surface. The bottom left is about how old polders may seem to float on water rather than canals being dug between polder. And the bottom right one is about how earth can flow into clouds and vice versa.
A number of these prints have also been part of the '1 of many postcards' project that John Pedder kicks-off now and then from his amazingly lively and engaged instragram account. Artists offer prints for free as a postcard, first asks first served, and the receiver gives an amount of own ability/choice to a charity of her/his own choice. So that was amongst others a lot of local food banks supported (start of the Covid19 time and the really needed that just then, just now as well). That means much to me, so thank you all very much!! Follow #oneofmanypostcard to see all the incredible offerings of post cards around there.
There are some left, and I'm offering them in this shop.
Now, the Dutch landscape does not seem too complex, mostly. But to really give a convincing link with the land, to convey its feel and character and that what it means to some people, ... still an interesting long way to go :) Right below you see how I simplified the cloud/land linocut, a series of 4 successive trial prints, number 3 being the one I was satisfied with at the time. Number 4 representing a possible new version to be printed again...
There are still a couple of sketches left in my sketchbook to make more single shape landscapes. About a lake and its thin side lines of land, about old polders being embraced by their dykes, and about clouds for sure.
Still the 'koppoter' is great, I always smile when I see this one, and it has brought friends, of course!!
So far the first four have made it to publication (and shop) and I would be really interested is what you'll think of them.
