Winter Wonderland

When I got out of my bed this morning I was pleasantly suprised to see it snowing. I decided to go for a run in the Vondelpark. It was still quiet and the sun was peering through. I took my small camera with me. How I just love my city.

The Kate Chaos Files

There are things that we somehow never learn. As a child I was quite chaotic. My parents lovingly (or desperately) nicknamed me Kate Chaos. So once in a while I try to a be good girl and start reorganizing my clothes, nick nacks, books and magazines. Especially magazines are a "big problem". I have loads of them, some over 10 years old. Still in one piece. It would be easier if I just rip out what I would like to keep and throw the rest away. Whenever I start doing this I usually get stuck on the floor between the piles, browsing, reading, my head filling with inspiration by which stage I go back behind my easel.   The piles of magazines remain on the floor, not always short term. Today while doing my "reorganizing" I found this stunning interior of decorator Tino Zerduvachi's Parisian appartment.  Photographed by Jacques Dirand for The World of Interiors (June 1999). Some interiors never go out of style.

Mr Smith's Chair progressing

Have to say that this painting is starting to look "groovy". Everytime I use that word my daugther corrects me and says "Mum can you PLEASE use the word "chill", "groovy" is just too old fashioned". I still think "Mr Smith's Chair" is more groovy than chill!

Work in progress

Hardly time for blogging. Flow is the word of the moment. Nothing better than attacking a fresh canvas. 15 plus paintings for my exhibition "The Art of the Mix" opening March 27 at Eveline Interieur in Bloemendaal (The Nethetherlands). Keep you posted on the progress!

I wish I was a Window Dresser

Who doesn't love Bloomingdale's Flagship in New York. At the moment they are having a contest  "Bloomingdale's Big Window Challenge". Interior designers, Eileen Joyce Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan and Eddie Ross have created 3 dwellings in the shop windows. My absolute favourite is "The Modern Woman by Eddie Ross for ELLE Decor".

Go see all 3 inspirational windows at bigwindowchallenge.apartmenttherapy.com

To Judge a Book by its Cover

I possess a lot of books. They are a great source of inspiration. Usually I buy a book because of it content, but there are occassions that I buy a book simply because I am attracted by its cover. This cover is from an art catalogue for Braque's exhibition at museum Boymans in Rotterdam in 1956. It is so simple yet attractive that I keep it on display.

"There is only one valuable thing in art: the thing you cannot explain."
Georges Braque 

Elegant by Elegance

What a week it has been. In between painting, grocery shopping, book keeping, working on new textile designs, dinner dates, running in the park, catching up with my sister, laundry and breathing I also had a foto shoot for Dutch women's glossy Elegance. What a luxury, a team of 5 fantastic people to dress me up, powder my nose, doll-up my hair! Here I am with photographer Harold Pereira who made me look beautiful through his lens.

It is all about hats

We have real winter weather for a change. So hats are a vital item. Problem is that somehow my hats keep vanishing from the face of the earth. In this picture my last hat purchase, a Missoni knitted piece. Hat where are you going with that girl....

Women at Work

Not a lot of time to post blogs this week as I am doing some last bits and pieces for my exhibition in Maassluis (Netherlands) at gallery Barbara Joy Smit. Barbara is a hard working gallerist with great eclectic taste. She profoundly believes that art should be accessible, for everyone to enjoy. Her gallery is beautifully setted in the historic centre. If you are in the neigbourhood this Saturday do join us for some art and a glass of wine! (photo by Henny van Belkom)

A touch of Dutchness

I love my house. It is warm and bohemian with touches of "Dutchness": the Delft blue pottery I use in my paintings, my bright orange hallway and bunches of fresh flowers around the house.  Picture by Margre Mijer.

Daddy's girls

Yesterday I was interviewed by Karin Kuijpers for Elegance, a Dutch Women's glossy. It was a very personal interview including questions about my background. In one of my previous postings I showed a picture of my mum in her diva Opera days. Today I would like to share a picture of my fantastic dad in his 20's, dashing Airforce officer, chain smoker, all the girls chasing him. When he met my mum she was divorced, 3 little daughters aged 5 (me) and 3 (the twins), still studying opera on a scholarship, no money. He could have taken the easy road, but he fell in love with these four girls, he moved in and never left.

Colour in my Kitchen

I am in flow, finishing work for my exhibtion at Barbara Joy Smit Gallery in Maassluis opening Saturday 16th of January. One of the paintings I have been working on today is a detail of colourful kitchen (oil on canvas 40x120cm). The kitchen only exists in my mind. As with a lot of my work I mix an imaginary cocktail of favourite objects, patterns and colours which I translate to my canvas. The painting still needs some work but it is getting there definitely!

Ready, steady....go!

Yes, I am back from the snowy mountains. No postings on my blog during my stay in Austria as there were some technical hick-ups. Pity as there was plenty to blog about. Here is one: on new year's eve the Austrians wish each other "Einen Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr" which freely translates to "have a good/safe slide into the new year". With this photo of Marylin Monroe sliding down a desert hill in bikini and high heels I wish you all an adventurous, fulfilling and happy 2010!