Positive Art as a choice, my paintings show that life is beautiful

dbwaterman
Dec 27, 2025
5 min read

Updated: Jan 7

My work is a conscious choice for positivity in a world that seems to be getting tougher.

I make art for people who, despite ugliness and hatred, continue to search for beauty, love and humanity.

In my images, I show that life is beautiful, through resilience, connection and space.

For example, children playing, women who dare to be themselves, and landscapes that offer peace.

Together they form a hopeful story. Positivity is not denial, but a courageous way to remain human.

My work reflects who I am

When I ask myself what my work reflects, I always come back to the same word: POSITIVITY.

Not in a superficial, everything-is-fun kind of way, but a deep, conscious choice to continue to see life as something valuable. Yes, life is beautiful. Even, or perhaps especially, when the world feels rough, fragmented or harsh.

People who come into my studio and see my mixed media artworks in real life for the first time often say, almost in surprise, 'Your work is even more beautiful in real life.'

What they really mean is not just that the textures are richer or the layers more visible. They feel something. Peace. Hope. Space. These people are looking for positivity, for images that don't overwhelm them with cynicism or fear, but remind them of what life is also about. And that's what people find when they see my work in real life.

monochrome man standing in yellow graas staring at rusted water tower, and seagulls flying — WATER'S WATCHMAN

I continue to see beauty in a harsh environment

I create art for people with a positive attitude. For people who, despite all the negativity visible in the world, continue to seek beauty and love. Not because they are naive, but because they know that having hope is an act of courage.

My work is not a denial of everything that is going wrong. It is, in fact, an answer to how things could be.

The world we live in is changing rapidly. Urbanisation is increasingly encroaching on our lives. Concrete, infrastructure and technology are forming new landscapes in which the human dimension sometimes seems to disappear.

For me, this is precisely where the stories that give me hope arise. In my work, I let children play outside, even when their environment has become less liveable. Their presence softens the image.

They bring movement, light and a sense of freedom. They remind us of who we were before we had to adapt and harden ourselves.

Children in my work are not only a symbol of nostalgia, but also of resilience. They adapt without losing their playfulness. They show that even in a world that is becoming harsher, gentleness can still exist. For me, that is a powerful form of positivity.

The same applies to all the other people who appear in my paintings. The men and women who play a leading role in my work are figures who undertake, explore, build or protect. They are not heroes on a pedestal, but people who take responsibility. They are concerned about climate change and ecological pressure. They are aware of a changing world and worried about what that means for their children.

That is why I consciously choose not only to show the threat, but also the human will to do things differently.

two monochrome girls standing on aswing between grey buildings agains light blue sky with text — SATURDAY SWING

Space for hope and strength with Positive Art

With my mixed media artworks, I want to show that caring for the earth does not have to be a sombre story. It can also be about connection, innovation and hope. About the idea that nature and technology do not have to be opposed, but can reinforce each other. The landscapes in my work are therefore often open and expansive. They breathe space, as if to say: here is a place to start again.

Women play an important role in my images. Usually alone, sometimes looking vulnerable, but never weak.

They stand or move in their own space, not as victims, but as human beings with inner strength. Their presence is always about independence, about carrying fears without being held back by them.

That choice is important to me. Positivity does not mean that danger and fear do not exist, but that you do not have to give in to them. A woman alone can also stand for freedom. For autonomy. For the right to take up space, literally and figuratively.

silhouette woman in night with red handbag walking towards streetlight with large tree in background — THE NIGHT IS OURS

Togetherness and Solitude

Being together is an important recurring theme in my Positive Art.

People who seek each other out, undertake something together or overcome fears together. Not dramatic, not grand, but human.

I believe that being together is one of the most positive forces we have. In my artworks, this is visible in small gestures, in closeness, in figures that do not shout but are quietly present.

At the same time, there is always room for solitude in my paintings.

For peace and quiet. For nature. For this, I create landscapes in which you can breathe, think, feel. Many people recognise that longing when they see my work. The need for peace in a world that constantly pulls at you. My paintings offer escape and a reminder: this feeling still exists, and you can allow yourself to feel it.

Vastness plays a major role in this. Open horizons, air, space. Which, in my experience, can literally provide peace and space. It can also give a feeling of freedom. And often it provides inspiration and solutions to problems.

That solitude is not loneliness, but a form of coming home to yourself.

small girl running on along beach with sea sky and beach in pastel colors and rust stains — MAKING MY FOOTPRINT

People at the Heart of My Positive Art

What connects all my artworks is people. They play the leading role and determine the story I want to tell.

Sometimes there is a clear message through the theme I am using at that moment. For example, in the theme ; THE NIGHT IS OURS, where I want to show that the night and silence can be threatening for women. But that despite this, they are allowed to be out there at that time!

Sometimes there is no obvious message, but an underlying belief: that people are capable of making their world more beautiful. Even when that world becomes harsh. Perhaps especially then.

I believe in Positive Art that shows what is possible. That reassures people.

Art that gives people recognition of what they themselves feel and think.

In short, I want to create art that shows that LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL !