A look inside db Waterman's studio

Welcome and have a pleasant read about db Waterman's work backgrounds

I hope you enjoy my backstories as an artist.

ART EDUCATION

My formative years as an artist were spent studying at the Art Academy in Den Bosch, NL. Today, I regard myself as self-taught, having developed my own distinct style out of the untraditional medium of Mixed Media / Collage. My work unites a variety of materials in careful compositions that I pride for their storytelling ability.

I completed a two-year watercolor course and a two-year photography course.

I am currently working on a photoshop expert course.

INSPIRATION I

Children

Kids inspire me. Their ability to transcend any given rotten situation is astounding. Playing tag in the ruins of a bombed Syrian city. Playing football in the most miserable neighborhoods. They are always looking for the light. They will save the future that our generations have really messed up, not even blaming us for it. If we only could keep the kid in ourselves a bit more, we wouldn’t be in such a mess. Art can help us to re-find our childlike innocence

INSPIRATION IV

Climate change

In today's world, where climate change has become a pressing global issue, as an artist I use my creative voice to raise awareness and spark meaningful conversations.

My artistic style is characterized by a fusion of mixed media techniques, with elements such as collage, painting and (sometimes) digital manipulation. Through my approach I try to create visually catchy and emotionally charged compositions, which aim to convey the seriousness of climate change and its effects on our planet.

While some of my artwork focuses primarily on the environmental aspect of climate change, I also delve into the human connection to the natural world. My compositions often feature (child) figures immersed in or influenced by their environment, underlining the interdependence between human and environment. By portraying this symbiotic relationship, I emphasize the need for collective responsibility and action to combat climate change.

MATERIAL USE

I’m a Mixed Media artist. Mixed media art involves mixing different creative media to create work that incorporates two or more art forms. Mixed media is about breaking the boundaries between different art forms. Artworks can be made on canvas, paper or cardboard.

  • canvas - paper - cardboard

  • Newspapers - magazines - old paper - music books - old books

  • Packaging materials - plastic - tissue

  • Acrylic paint - Watercolor paint - Ink - pencil - charcoal - pastel -

  • colored pencil - colored pen - marker - spraypaint -

  • glue - varnish -

  • own photos - digital images

STATEMENT

I think that now more than ever, the recurring themes in my portfolio are highly relevant. My art depicts the current state of the world, and how our children grow up in an often unfair as well as deteriorating environment. Yet, it is precisely the children's ability to transcend difficult situations and find joy and light in the darkest surroundings that is the much-needed hope for the future. Sustainability is also integrated in my works through the materials I use. Most of these materials have been repurposed to be used in my artworks.

INSPIRATION V

Old posters, billboards and weathered walls

I have always been fascinated by advertising posters, weathered billboards and old walls with peeling paint.

The challenge was to copy these old walls with weathered and torn advertising posters. Such walls can often be found in city centres and near old buildings.

I therefore took a whole series of photos of such walls.

For many people a sign of neglect and decay, but for me a source of inspiration.

By combining these two elements, the old posters and the weathered walls, in a work of art, a unique and new entity is created, which often forms the basis for my Mixed Media paintings. Carefully built up from many different layers. Exactly like the old weathered walls that time has created.

For this, I have found a way of working that is entirely my own, which cannot be seen anywhere else.

I use newspaper and magazine paper, which is mixed with acrylic paint. In sometimes as many as four to six layers, until the desired effect is achieved.

And that is only the foundation, the underground.

DB WATERMAN

I chose the name db Waterman because I want to be able to take on more than one project as an artist. I therefore see db Waterman more as an art company/gallery than as one artist.

I am a Dutch artist living and working in Eindhoven in the Klokgebouw at Strijp-S, a former industrial area of the Philips Concern.

I mainly make Mixed Media / Collage paintings on different sizes of canvas and paper. But I also make abstract artworks, watercolour paintings, digital art and photographs,

All my artworks can be viewed and ordered online. But it is also possible to come and view the paintings in my studio.

I also create artworks on commission! Also for artworks that have already been sold.

You can contact me to discuss everything.

DUTCH ARTIST

I was born in Eindhoven , The Netherlands and have lived in this city all my life. It is located in the south of the Netherlands

All decisive for the development and growth of Eindhoven was the Philips group, from light bulb factory to multinational and world player in the field of electronics.

I am proud of my city which is currently one of the growth centers of the Netherlands , especially in the field of the latest technology.

Eindhoven is also known for the annual Dutch Design Week, which has its origins in De Witte Dame ; a former Philips office building.

MIXED MEDIA ART

I'm a mixed media artist born in the Netherlands. My work is known for its unique blend of traditional and modern techniques, incorporating elements of collage, painting and drawing into layered works with a distinct vintage aesthetic.

The mixed media artworks often have a tactile quality, with visible textures and layers that invite the viewer to explore the details of each work. I use a range of materials, including acrylic paint, collage, watercolour, pastel crayons and ink, to create the various elements of my works, often experimenting with new techniques to achieve the desired effect.

One of the defining characteristics of my work is the use of colour. I often use a muted palette of earth tones and faded pastels, contributing to the vintage feel of my paintings. However, I also use bright colours to create contrast and draw attention to specific elements of my compositions.

My artwork is a testament to the power of experimentation and the endless possibilities of mixed media art.

The mixed media artworks have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, and I have won many awards for my paintings.

FAVORITE COLORS

My favorite colors are always close to natural colors.

I like quiet natural colors combined with colorful accents.

Working with my Mixed Media technique, where I use a lot of paper and magazine paper, ensures that the base is always a natural color.

Gray, Gray Blue, Light Blue, Gray Green, Grass Green, Sea Green , Wine Red, Sienna and Ochre are my favorite colors.

Colors that lend themselves well to a background with a darker or more colorful representation on top.

INSPIRATION II

Trees, plants and landscapes

A third source of inspiration is nature, especially trees and landscapes. From my early childhood, I have been involved with plants and nature. It brings beautiful childhood memories.

This brings a kind of peace to my paintings.

And it combines wonderfully well with the urban Mixed Media/Collage technique.

It is a contrast, nature and the old weathered city walls, but it fits together very well.

The children, of course, also fit in very well. And now and then a touch of mystery and the whole is complete.

INSPIRATION III

Exciting thriller series, books and films

The love for exciting psychological thriller series originated in my early childhood, when I often watched thriller series with my father.

Sometimes I try to incorporate elements from thriller series and movies into my art. This gives a slightly alienating and surrealistic effect to my paintings.

One of my favorite series is ; True Detectives

One of my favorite movies is ; Shutter Island

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STUDIO

Since June 2023, I have been working in a beautiful large studio at Strijp S, Eindhoven.

Housed in the iconic Klokgebouw on Strijp S, a once thriving Philips business park, now reborn as a dynamic hub for cultural entrepreneurs.

The Klokgebouw, with its industrial heritage, serves as the perfect backdrop for my artworks. This former centre of Dutch innovation has undergone a metamorphosis, transforming into a vibrant hub, full of energy from creative endeavours. Here, in this historical setting, I have created a space where the industrial past merges perfectly with the present, through my urban landscape, street art and pop art works.

THE WAY I WORK

I assemble original photography, assorted papers, acrylics, oil, charcoal, ink, and pencil in my works. The variety of resources I am able to use has proved indispensable to me. The biggest challenge the collage medium posed was its unforgiving lack of transparency. Finding a way to replicate the effects of transparency afforded by paint, especially watercolors, was “a large victory” for me. The preparing labor shows through in my collages; layer upon layer of material remains visible in the finished pieces.

I believe my body of work is characterized by my skill for reinvention. Having always loved the appearance of weathered walls plastered with peeling paint and old posters, I revive this aesthetic with hopefully a keen and professional eye. The creative objective of my work is to “make something beautiful out of dilapidation.”My tableaus explore the dissonance between old and new materials, intertwined in the most beautiful possible way to create dreamlike and melancholy images.