Artist Journal

Here you can find a small window into my mind. The thoughts and questions that pop up didn’t really have a place but now they will have a home here. This home will be messy, have unfinished projects or nostalgic flashbacks.

A place where for a moment I can feel safe, insecure, confused, happy, sad or frustrated. I am not really looking for answers but maybe I will find them along the way while I discover my own truth.

I invite you to take a peek though the curtains and see merely a documentation of fleeting thoughts and feelings.

small window into my mind

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small window into my mind 〰️

Fleeting Thougts 〰️

  • What I have been wondering lately is what makes an artwork art? What  are the qualifications to turn an 'object' into Art. I can make something and place it on a pedestal but I don't believe that turns every object into a (art piece) (piece of art). How can you combine different materials so that all together it 'becomes' (and unquestionable) at first sight, artwork. (And) I am not even saying it should be pretty or good.

    I thought it might be the skill of the artist that makes it an art piece, work, or object. Because it takes time, effort and knowledge to create something and it's the skill of the artist that defines the quality of the art piece. But than I wondered: “What about ready-mades, found footage and things like outsourcing?”  So what exactly is the skill of the artist, is it just the skill of rhyming image? Or is it just different opinions that make or break a piece?


  • Before I was already talking a little about the quality of art. You can say a artwork (whatever that is) is well made and the materials used are durable and of high quality. But first I should mention that the quality of something is determined by different aspect (by a different aspect) (different aspects). Or  basically everything that makes it an artwork, the material, the concept, the artist. Especially the artist is important, we can even say that we judge the quality of the artist by the works that is made. If the work is of high quality then we expect the next artwork also being high quality. So is there a difference of quality in the artworks or in the artists? Or the quality of the moment the artwork is made. Expectations being met.

  • I wonder if babies can enjoy art. As tiny human beings, at some point they will be curious, explore, touch and put all their saliva over it. So I thought it would be interesting to think what art for babies would actually look like. They experience the world in an untainted way, maybe with underdeveloped senses but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy it. Moreover, how will it influence the child at a later age?

  • What is it exactly, is it all three? Mostly I call my art work, it's a artwork. Maybe because there is a very labor intensive aspect to my art. A piece would indicate a single thing, so I guess like a painting? An installation is an installation that is clear not much questions asked. So how about 4 tubes filled with mud and water? Pieces? Works? And the state of process the artwork is in, is it dependent on if it's finished or not?

W.I.P.

A small tree branch with a realistic eye sculpture embedded in the bark. The background shows art supplies and paint bottles.
Clay sculptures of daisies and swirls on a textured surface, with the daisies on the upper part and the swirls on the lower part.
Person holding a ceramic rat with a long, thin tail with white and brown glaze
Hand holding a sculpted and painted animal figure with the body of a mouse or rat and the head of a dog, surrounded by art supplies on a workspace.
Decorative miniature flower-shaped items with pinkish petals and yellow centers arranged on a light-colored wooden tray.
A close-up of a tree branch with a large, realistic prosthetic eye embedded in the bark.
Ceramic sculpture of a rat lying on its back on a clay slab, with a long curved tail and detailed features, on a plastic-covered surface.
A white foam block with sunflower-shaped decorations on thin wires, resembling a bouquet of flowers.
Unfinished ceramic sculpture of a small plant with a flower, attached to a base, placed on a wooden workspace with a plaster mold and art supplies in the background.
A dried, cracked leaf or bark fragment with a pointed tip, beige in color, lying on a gray surface.

Dear same beat different tempo,

I often call you my heart, all three of you I can relate to. Sometimes i wish my heart was bigger, more love to give and beating faster. Two of the hearts are currently in familiar homes, it brings me joy to know my hearts are in someones houses. They are taking good care of it.

This means that the only heart left is the biggest heart.

A ceramic sculpture of a human heart with hollow tubes and arteries, placed on a white surface against a plain wall.

Dear Artwork…

Dear Cloud of Eye

Today i had an ephifany, i was explaining to someone how i have two eyes. One to watch over my dearest son Leo, and one to watch myself. Because if i watch myself carefully i can take care of my son, a important person in my life that needs me and that I love. Then it clicked, the many eyes i created for you, the many I’s that I try to be and the many looks I reserve for other people. It floats around, softly swaying. 

You aged, and in my heart i knew you were something that i could and wanted to show to the world. A feeling or view that is unique. It took some time but i think we both endured well. Lets continue on our journey while watching each other. 

Lots of love,
Ellis

Modern chandelier with multiple round white globes hanging from thin cords in a gallery or lobby setting.

Flashback

Works developed during my years on the academie.

HKU 05//2014
HKU 05//2014
HKU 05//2014
HKU 05//2014
Dried tall grass arranged in a vase with a small bird sculpture on the floor in front of it.
HKU Kuub//2015
HKU Kuub//2015
Close-up view of cracked, dry mud on the beach with the ocean in the background.
Dry, beige-colored leaf pressed against a white wall.
A woman standing in a small, white, enclosed space with vents on the wall, wearing a patterned coat, black scarf, black dress, tights, and boots, posing with one leg raised.
A rubber object with a human eye printed on it, attached to a flexible tube, resembling a creature with an eye for a head and a tail, on a white surface with some pieces of bread and a vegetable in the background.
A craft project resembling a spider with a large central eye featuring a human eye in the middle, surrounded by clay legs on a white surface with various crafting tools and materials in the background.
A small sculpture with a large realistic human eye on top and two small clay legs hanging down, sitting on a white wooden surface surrounded by containers and miscellaneous items.
Small wildlife camera with a transparent cover placed on a grassy and leafy outdoor area.
Glass display case with a blue interior holding deceased bird, surrounded by green plants and white flowers in a garden setting.
A turtle inside a plastic container on a reflective surface with trees and sky reflections visible.
An indoor scene with a puddle on the floor, six tall dried plants inside the puddle, and a person in dark clothing standing near a wall in the background, holding a drink.
SUGARCOATME