Stokers

Annual Art Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:43:00 +0000

More than 100 works of art by more than 100 artists are offered for 100 euros each from December 10 – December 19, 2021 (closed on Mondays).

Drawings, paintings, graphics, sculptures, jewelry, ceramics and more. As soon as an item is sold, another work of art will immediately be placed on the vacated spot.

Due to the current security measures, you are required to book a time slot in advance at www.wgkunst.nl

You can book a time slot (free of charge) for a period of half an hour, for example from 12:00 to 12:30 or from 13:00 to 13:30.

I'm Back

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 10:47:00 +0000

The past year and a half has probably been a time of grief, loss and depression for everyone. So it should come as no surprise that I've had my share too. In six months time I not only lost the love of my life, but I also lost my job. It felt like I had to learn how to breathe again.

Inspiration and art don't seem to thrive in a period of hardship and sadness, unlike numbness and depression. All in all, it took me over a year to get up and get back into the studio.

I've come a long way, but I'm slowly coming back. Below you can see one of my first new ceramic paintings. I hope you can enjoy it as much as I do.

Midas

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 11:27:00 +0000

He has a Golden Touch

Alles voor de Kunst

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 May 2020 16:33:00 +0000

Het Rijk moet bijspringen, want gemeenten hebben niet genoeg geld voor de cultuursector, schreven de cultuurwethouders van de vier grootste steden op 17 mei in de Volkskrant.

Inmiddels heeft ook mijn favoriete galerie, Galerie Stam, in Amsterdam zijn deuren moeten sluiten. Dat doorgaan een lijdensweg zou worden, staat buiten kijf. “Er komt een recessie aan, zegt galeriehouder en kunstenaar Matthijs Stam, het eerste waar mensen dan mee stoppen is het kopen van kunst. Bijeenkomsten organiseren is er ook niet meer bij. In onze kleine ruimte sta je dan als haringen in een ton. Hartstikke gezellig, maar nu ondenkbaar. Ondertussen loopt de hoge huur gewoon door. Je hoeft geen zakelijk rekenwonder te zijn om te snappen dat dit einde oefening is.”

De financiële klappen als gevolg van Corona kunnen dit soort kleine ongesubsidieerde galeries, niet opvangen. Maar ook de grotere jongens hebben het moeilijk. Dat online galeries juist nu als paddestoelen uit de grond schieten is niet toevallig, maar er is zeker geen reden om te denken dat dit dè oplossing is. Een kunstenaar heeft immers baat bij een fysieke galerie waar publiek zijn of haar werk kan bekijken in een ruimte die zich daar voor leent en waarbij iemand aanwezig is om bezoekers ter plekke te informeren over het desbetreffende werk en de maker. Kunst moet je niet alleen raken, je moet het ook aan kunnen raken.

Ik las dat kunstenaars samen verantwoordelijk zijn voor 3,5% van ons bruto nationaal product. Toch is rechts nog steeds van mening dat kunst een linkse hobby is.

Gelukkig denkt niet iedereen er zo over. "[Kunst en cultuur] zijn onlosmakelijk verbonden met onze economie, werkgelegenheid, toerisme, integratie, onderwijs en zorg. Ze zijn onmisbaar in onze samenleving", aldus Touria Meliani, Said Kasmi, Robert van Asten, en Anke Klein (cultuurwethouders, van Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag en Utrecht).

Elke grote en kleine ondernemer in Nederland weet dat je moet investeren om geld te verdienen. Om die reden wordt er dan ook geld nog moeite gespaard om bedrijven die zwaar te lijden hebben onder de Corona-crisis financieel te helpen. Voor de kunst- en cultuursector is er een steunfonds van 300 miljoen euro opgericht. Maar er is veel meer geld nodig. Daarbij vraag ik mij af waarom er niet gezamenlijk wordt opgestaan om meteen ook die kaalslag in de kunst van zo’n tien jaar geleden plùs de btw-verhoging (van 6 naar 9%) terug te draaien. Want wat is een land zonder kunst?

Om met de woorden van Sir Peter Bazalgette te eindigen:

"Imagine society without the civilising influence of the arts and you'll have to strip out what is most pleasurable in life. [...] The inherent value of culture, its contribution to society, its symbiotic relationship with education and, yes, its economic power (but in that order) … this is what we call the holistic case for public support of arts and culture."

Brighten up your days

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 11:54:00 +0000

While the sun is showing itself less and less, the wind is getting colder and the days are getting shorter, we are busy preparing for a new exciting, eye-catching autumn exhibition.

'Four artists, four techniques’, is an exhibition in which there is something to be found for everyone. Linocuts, bronze statues, oil paintings and ceramics; everything your heart desires.

Participating artists are: Jaap Hartman, Niqui Kommerkamp, Memo Tunali & Froukje Stam.

The exhibition will be officially opened on November 17 (doors open at 02:00 pm) and the official opening speech will be held around 3.30 pm. During the afternoon we will be serving light refreshments. We look forward to seeing you!

This exhibition will run through December 2019.

Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. (Free entrance)

Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 12:47:00 +0000

You are cordially invited to join us for the official opening of the exhibition at ‘Galerie Streetscape’ in Castricum.

The exhibition features paintings, collages, drawings lithos, etchings & sculptures. This is a great opportunity to meet the participating artists in person and engage in conversation while enjoying the art and listening to live music.

The exhibition comprises works by the following artists: Frans Hendriks, Anita Mizrahi, Edo Poland, Niqui Kommerkamp, Peter de Jong & Marga Klumper.

The official opening will be held on Saturday, July 13 from 5 pm - 7 pm. The Exhibition will be on display from July 13 to August 16, 2019.

Address: Gallery Streetscape, Dorpsstraat 7, 1901 EH Castricum, Netherlands.
Opening hours: Friday - Sunday from 2 to 5 pm or by appointment.

Juno Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 21:31:00 +0000

Juno Beach - June 6, 1944
Pigments on clay by Niqui Kommerkamp
19 x 19 cm

Detail > Juno Beach - June 6, 1944

What am I

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 May 2019 13:16:00 +0000

Dutch
Keramist (m) -en beoefenaar v.d. pottenbakkerskunst, pottenbakker; (v) -miste -n en -s; ook ceramist
Pot·ten·bak·ker (de; m,v; meervoud: pottenbakkers) maker van potten.

English
Potter /ˈpɒtə/ noun: potter; plural noun: potters; a person who makes dishes, plates, and other objects from clay, usually by hand on a special wheel.

'Potter' seems to be a collective name for anyone who makes something out of clay. But there is an essential difference between a potter and a ceramist. A potter is someone who makes pots and other ceramic goods, while ceramist is a person who makes ceramic objects.

Although both groups can be successful in what they do and both work with clay, the comparison ends here.

According to the English, but also the Dutch dictionaries, a potter ('pottenbakker' in Dutch) is someone who makes pots, but most Dutch dictionaries mention the same under 'keramist' ('ceramist' in English).

It's kind of weird. If you tell a stranger that you are a sculptor, they will probably ask you what material you use. But almost no one would immediately assume that you work with clay. And so you use the word ceramist, but then they get confused with potter.
That is why I use the term 'ceramic sculptor' nowadays. I know it sounds a bit pretentious, but people understand this better and won't ask me to make them a series of plates again.

The funny thing is that I don't only make sculptures. For example, I am currently working on a series of boxes, in between I make small ceramic paintings and I have made a whole series of ceramic book covers.
To be honest, there is no better name for this than simply 'ceramist', but it is precisely that name that defines me - at least according to the Dutch dictionaries - as someone who makes pots.

Dutch art in France

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 May 2019 08:51:00 +0000

From June 16 to September 16 2019, more than 50 Dutch artists will exhibit their work in Préporche, a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.

The exhibition organized by the "Kamergalerie" will consist of photos, paintings, drawings, sculptures and more.

Address: Atelier Préporché: Le Bourg 58360 Préporché Bourgogne

Opening hours: Sunday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Spring is here - A new fresh art exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 13:34:00 +0000

Have you already completed your spring cleaning? Maybe it's time for something new to decorate your walls and cabinets with.

The annual group exhibition at Galerie Stam is the best opportunity to purchase something really beautiful to spice up your room. The exhibition will be officially opened on April 14 (doors open at 02:00 pm) and will run through June 2019.

About Galerie Atelier Stam
This gallery is known for the broad range of artists they represent and the wide variety of materials and genres in which they work.

TNT by Niqui Kommerkamp - ceramic box, 11 x 11 x 16 cm

Galerie Atelier Stam
Prinsengracht 356
1016 JA Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. (Free entrance)

Less is more

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Mar 2019 13:15:00 +0000

Dutch artist Allon Verheul creates beautiful paper birds by cutting out tiny parts and leaving the rest up to the viewers imagination. He works with a scalpel and uses different patterns for feathers and other distinctive parts of the birds which results in many extra details.

Duck family - Allon Verheul, 2019

More about Allon: https://www.allonverheul.nl

Christmas Art Sale 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 19:16:00 +0000

During the weekend of December 15 and 16, a special exhibition will be held at WG Kunst in Amsterdam; more than 100 works of art by more than 100 artists are offered for 100 euros each. Drawings, paintings, graphics, sculptures, jewelry, ceramics, glassware and more. Free entrance.

Address: Marius van Bouwdijk Bastiaansestraat 28 Amsterdam

More information: wgkunst@wgkunst.nl * +31 (0)20 6161515

Touching Wood

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 15:12:00 +0000

I accidentally stumbled upon the website of the Italian sculptor Bruno Walpoth and fell in love with his work. His sculptures all of which look quite pensive and deep in thought, seem to invite the viewer to touch them.

Although these are life-sized human figures, you know they are not real. Some of these sculptures are simply too pale and they are often coated with semi-translucent paint so the wood grain remains partly visible and looking closer, you can see rougher parts where his chisel has worked the wood. But God, how stunningly beautiful they are!!

Obscure Art

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 13:59:00 +0000

Camera obscura basically means 'dark room', but in this case it refers to a simple device; a box with a simple tiny opening (a pinhole) with which photos can be taken, therefore also known as a 'pinhole camera'.
This device is far from a modern invention. Apart from Leonardo Da Vinci who describes it in his notebooks, even Aristotle understood the optical principle of the camera obscura.

In the 17th century it was a fairly popular aid for painters to help them to project an image. It was only from the first half of the 19th century that people began to use them in combination with photosensitive materials to take photographs. Nowadays it is mainly used in art projects or to entertain, either by building or by using one.

I've always wanted to build one myself. It took a while, but I think it was worth it.

@niquikommerkamp

The Embroidered portraits of Cayce Zavaglia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 17:45:00 +0000

Although most of us think of embroidery as a somewhat boring pastime, Cayce Zavaglia has taken this hobby to a higher level; a (reinvented) art form.
Cayce, originally trained as a painter, now makes the most stunning visual art with cotton and silk or wool.

Illusion of paint strokes
She sews threads of different sizes and colors into a complex layering of stitches, which cross in the direction of each other. This not only creates an illusion of depth and volume, but also mimics the brush strokes and tones of classic oil paintings.

And if you think that's amazing, you should take a look at the back of her portraits, where the complexity of stiches with all the loose ends and knots gives you the impression that the soul of her subject is exposed.

Verso from Jesse Brass on Vimeo.

What a relief

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 10:48:00 +0000

When a colleague asked me to build her a website to show off her work online, all I knew was that she made beautiful bronzes, paintings and scrolls. In her studio, however, I also discovered a good number of beautiful reliefs. And I fell in love immediately.

Relief by Victorine Loomans

Her work radiates vitality, movement and sensuality. Looking at it makes me happy and that is what art should do; generate emotion of any kind.

Do yourself a favor and visit her website here.

Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 13:09:00 +0000

New website

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 15:34:00 +0000

I know. An artist website is never finished, but I'm actually quite happy with it.
You're more than welcome to visit my site, so what are you waiting for? Click, click, click!

Ceramic whistles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 15:35:00 +0000

You’ll find ancient folk instruments all around the world. The best-known instruments were flutes, whistles, and ocarinas of clay. These instruments were often decorated with symbolic figures, and were generally stylized to resemble animals, metaphysical entities, or people.
There are whistles and ocarinas representing ocelots, iguanas, frogs, chameleons, crickets, turtles, parrots and a great number of other birds. These ancient instruments can generate extraordinary sounds depending on their shape and size

Nowadays you can still learn to make these wind instruments. The Mexican artist Osvaldo Padrón for example, has a broad experience as a teacher (both in Mexico and The Netherlands) and makes wind instruments that are rooted in the tradition of the pre-Hispanic culture of the Aztec in Mexico.

Like to make your own ceramic flute?
On November 11th & December 9th, 2017 Osvaldo organizes the workshop 'Ceramic Flutes' that will take place at Keramiek Atelier Patty Schilder, located in the heart of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. There are only a few places left, so be quick to sign up here.

Keramiek Atelier Patty Schilder

Lijnbaansgracht 102 bg, 1016 KT Amsterdam

www.pattyschilder.nl • keramiek@pattyschilder.nl

Untouchable

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Sep 2017 23:30:00 +0000

Bronze Shield - Ceramic wall object by Niqui - 48 x 25 x 10cm

Ceramics Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 16:24:00 +0000

Google Maps

Opening hours: Wednesday - Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm

The flight of Ikaros

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 13:56:00 +0000

Imagine.

Imagine escaping by

simply spreading your wings

and letting yourself be

carried away by the wind.

Going higher and higher,

seeing the world below you

getting smaller and smaller.

Unaware of the danger.

Deaf to the advise not

to fly too close to the sun.

Imagine the intense heat.

The smoldering wings.

The flames.

The fall.

Imagine.

Ikaros • ceramic wall object by Niqui Kommerkamp • 53 x 27 x 7 cm

This wall object will be exhibited at Gallery Stam as from May 21, 2017.

Address: Prinsengracht 356, 1016 JA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Sundaymorning@ekwc

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 15:15:00 +0000

I've just visited the European Ceramic Work Centre in Oisterwijk (The Netherlands) where I joined a guided tour.

The EKWC is an artist-in-residence centre and a centre of excellence where about 60 artists, designers and architects are annually welcomed to experiment with ceramics for a continuous or phased period of three months.

Currently there are staying 15 artists from all over the world. They all have their own individual room (including a bed, a bathroom, and desk) as well as their own spacious studio with the most advanced equipment to work in. And because the studios and workshops are 24/7 available it's possible for the artists to work as long and as late as they want.

The centre also offers the support of a team of specialists that gives a unique added value to the residency as 75% of the participants have no or little experience with ceramics.

In addition to all this Sundaymorning@ekwc also encourages its participants to conduct research in not only artistic and technical fields, but also in the area of presentation.

And last but not least the centre works together with art academies, the ceramic industry, several scientific research centres, museums and galleries in the form of special projects.

Interested?
You'll find more information on their website.

Kunstonderwijs in de Knel

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 13:51:00 +0000

"Kunstenaars en ontwerpers leveren onmisbare bijdragen aan maatschappelijke uitdagingen"

Zowel de VVD als de ChristenUnie zijn van plan om flink te snijden in de kunstopleidingen. Op de website van de Willem de Kooning Academie geeft directeur Jeroen Chabot zijn reactie op die plannen.

Art against Trump

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 21:12:00 +0000

The inauguration of Trump as president of the United States has left many people shocked and uneasy. Lately artists worldwide are becoming more and more vocal about Trump.
WG Kunst agrees that it’s time for action. They’ve called upon artists to respond to Trump in the form of a work of art.

More than 20 artists have responded and created an artistic statement. It will be a varied exhibition in which various disciplines are showcased. There will be paintings, drawings, cartoons, three-dimensional work, stories, and poems.

Address:
Marius van Bouwdijk Bastiaansestraat 28, 1054 SP Amsterdam.

Opening hours:
Saturday, February 25 from 01:00 to 05:00 pm
Sunday, February 26 from 01:00 to 05:00 pm

More about this exhibition in the Dutch newspaper Het Parool > go to article