Bye Bye 2011, Hello 2012!

with my kids Annemarth and Mauk (26 december 2011)

For the last few weeks I have been quiet on all fronts: Blog, Facebook, Twitter...... Mid December I just crashed. Exhausted, in bed with the worst flue in years. My body forced me to take a rest, but my mind kept wandering, especially about all the things that have happened last year and how to go forward.
2011 has been a year of enormous growth. We did our first trade shows in Highpoint, New York and Paris, added more product ranges and designs, received great media coverage. I met inspiring people, including Jonathan Adler and Maxwell Gillingham. More designers and retailers support the brand Mariska Meijers Amsterdam and last but not least the social media support has been fantastic. But in between successes I had many doubts and insecurities as well. Am I good enough, can I keep up with the pace...... I have had days that I felt I was all over the place, losing focus. I just so much admire colleagues who just seem to manage everything effortlessly. I could make a long list of do's and don'ts for 2012.....I could but I won't.....

What I envisage for the New Year is that I will continue to believe in myself. I will continue to do my best every day to the best of MY ability, whether it is being a mother, (girl) friend, daugther, sister, artist, designer, marketeer, employer.... I will not worry (too much) about what others say about me. I will continue to trust my heart and gut feeling and be grateful for all the support and positive feedback I receive. I will continue to embrace life with all its ups and downs and be happy with the choices I have made.

Thank you for your support and patience and I wish you all a wonderful 2012, making time to chase your OWN
dreams!

"Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true." Napoleon Hill

The 2nd edition of HeartHome magazine has arrived!

Huge compliment for editors-in-chief Carole King and Arianna Trapani and art editor Daniel Nelson for yet another "tour de force". The 2nd edition is filled with fabulous (holiday) inspiration and interviews with even more fabulous inspiring people like bird of paradise Zandra Rhodes, Design Sponge's Grace Bonney and ELLE Decoration's newly proclaimed Designer of the Year Mr Lee Broom!!!
pssssss For this issue I worked with the HeartHome team on a feature on my wonderful hometown Amsterdam (on which I will do a separate post).
It is a must read so click here and absorbe!  Note: all pictures in this post are via HeartHomeMag

Museum Talk

 Charles in a Striped Jersey (Henri Evenpoel, 1898)

Mauk in a Striped Jersey (hallway @ home)

 

new facade Stedelijk Museum

 

inside the new exhibition hall @ Stedelijk Museum

One of my Eclectic Interiors (100x100cm, oil on canvas)

on show @ Wereldmuseum Rotterdam 

Last week was all about museums for me both as visitor and exhibitor.

VAN GOGH MUSEUM AMSTERDAM

At the Van Gogh Museum I saw Snapshot. Painters and Photography, 1888-1915 an exhibition that zooms in on artists' everyday live. On show are phothographs and paintings by George Hendrik Breitner, Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Henri Evenpoel, Henri Rivière, Felix Valloton and Edouard Vuillard. The exhibition gives an great insight on the creative process of these painters. 

My favourite of this exhibition is a painting (and matching photograph) by Evenpoel "Charles in a Striped Jersey". Dated 1898, but looking so unbelievably modern and touching (Charles was his illegitimate child). I went back twice to study this wonderful painting and made me laugh at my own attempt a few years back to paint a portrait of my son Mauk (in a striped jersey). I guess I will never become a portrait painter....
The exhibition will run from 14 October 2011 to 8 January 2012 at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam(and in Washington from February to April 2012, and in Indianapolis from June to early September 2012).

STEDELIJKE MUSEUM AMSTERDAM
Our "MoMa" closed for many years for extensive renovation, to be re-opened in 2012. I was lucky to get a sneak preview last Friday when the spectacular white main entrance façade of the Stedelijk Museum was officially revealed by means of a lightshow (and meeting the architect Mels Crouwel of BenthemCrouwel).

WERELD MUSEUM ROTTERDAM
In connection with the exhibition Future Pass two of my paintings will be on show and the Museum store has added my designs to their collection. The exhibition will run from December 8 to March 11, 2012.

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend. I am flying off to London!