Bas Wouters
Painter
Bio
education:
– teachers degree in art 1989 Fontys Higher Education, Tilburg (NL)
– art research course, Cyncoed College, Cardiff (UK) 1990
– art academy Howard Gardens, Cardiff 1991
Tutors in art: Theo Kuijpers, Emo Verkerk, Jan Goossens (ABV Tilburg), Tom Piper, Derreck Ste-ars (Cardiff).
1991; artist in residence at Croesyciliog Comprehensive School in Cwmbran, South-Wales.
Exhibitions:
1992 university of Aberystwyth (UK)
1992 Cyncoed college Cardiff (UK)
1994 solo at Moret art gallery, Achel (B.), , , 2021 Contrast Art Gallery, Tilburg.
1995 purchase of two paintings by the head office of CSK in Leeuwarden (NL).
During the years I regularly sold pieces of work to enthousiasts. Mostly large scale pencil dra-wings.
From 1995 to 2019 I worked as an art teacher and history teacher in secundary education. I had a family to support....... Now I am back, fully dedicated to making art.
2021 purchase of work by Contrast art gallery, Tilburg. Also some purchases by private collec-tors.
On schedule:
For june 2022: a project with one of the Dutch young and promising designers; Pepijn Fabius Clovis. A cooperation that will show our joint made pieces that cross the existing boundaries between furniture design and art. The exhibition will be held in (that remarkable public spa-ce/library!); LocHal, Tilburg.
For later this year a solo exhibition is planned in the ancient church building in Zuiderwoude (NL).
Also later this year I'll be able to show two paintings in the ground floor windows of a listed building called 'studio De Gruyter' in Tilburg.
For January 2023: a solo exhibition in De Roos art gallery, Tilburg.
I have been involved in drawing and painting since I was a young child. It never left me. As a young lad of twelve years old I started to take courses in drawing and painting in my home town.
Meeting people and talking to people have the ability to form inner images. So does a good walk with a friend. It leaves you with images. Those images are liable to hide themselves. Except when I try to disclose them by using paint and a canvas.
Oilpaint and canvas have proved themselves to be very effective and at the same time forgiving. Oilpaint is patient. It gives you the chance to reconsider what you where trying to tell.
Once I have found a certain 'wavelenght' with colour the painting starts to provide a stage whereupon I can tell my story. That's when the image deepens. That's when layers occur.
Mood and emotion find their way into the image. However in the proces of making in some ca-ses the whole thing asks for a certain degree of disturbance. A painting can lock itself up and starts lacking breath. That's when I brake the whole thing down and deny the state it's in.
Over time while working on several pieces a few symbols presented themselves; a wheel, a candleholder, a bone structure and some sort of gate. They stand for things. The wheel refers to movement in everything. The candleholder refers to the ability of people to bring light and to connect with others, the bone structure for me depicts the will to see what is essential. And a gate is a wonderful methafor for all kinds of transition. I have made their appearance rugged and simple so they can become a part of my imagerie and contribute to the story that each pie-ce of work tells.
My paintings are caracterised by their fierceness and their hidden tenderness. The images don't respect the boundaries of the canvas but rather play with it. Never bigger than a square meter they nevertheless can take on space and have a strong appearance in any room they're in.