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Gert J. van Maanen

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Raindrops!!
... A Touch of Irish Landscapes

by Gert J. van Maanen - Contemporary Abstract Painter

Gert van Maanen, Contemporary Abstract artist living in West Cork since 1993. About 3 miles outside Dunmanway you can find Gert's Studio.

So we live here in South West Cork what happens a lot?, maybe not your first answer but certainly your second or third?, yes you have guessed Rain Gert's work is unique in that within each one incororates a little piece of West Cork is captured. He incorporates the environment and especially the rain of South West Cork onto his art work, in some instances you can see the dried raindrops now inpregnated with pigments from Gert's pallette.

From the very begining Gert has always painted the land or seascapes, the natural beauty of his environment has always been his inspiration.

Gert calles all his paintings either landscapes or seascapes, his style is unique, being the only one to apply dry pigments to perspex and using the rain of West Cork to assist in the creative process. He says if you use paper or background material the image is not so clear, with the perspex this is very clear.

A theme of his work are the colours always using the same pallete. A lot of blues and black with a touch of earth colour, mixing his colours himself as he goes. The perspex is first sanded a bit to create the key required for the application of first acrylic paint followed by oil paint. Afterwards the paintings are varnished to fix them. On some of the paintings you can see where West Cork rain has fallen in drops and dried.

The process of Gert's paintings is quite unique. Perspex boards have pigment applied and then left upright out in the rain, when the desired effect is reached Gert brings the work in. Placing it flat on the ground to dry before applying the next colour and the process repeated. Always applying the lighter colours first.

The transparent perspex edges of some of the paintings really give them an interesting edge, (excuse the pun) looking very different when hung on different coloured walls.

Looking to buy Contemporary Paintings by Gert van Maanen? for West Cork Landscapes Three Paintings in this catagory for Drizzzzling Landscape Two Paintings in this catagory for Icescapes Two Paintings in this catagory.

Education: Gert was at the Academy for Visual Arts St. Joost, Breda (NL); Section Monumental Design and Painting. Royal Academy for Art and Design s'Hertogenbosch (NL); C.P.D.B.

Artist Statement: Contemporary, abstract paintings; some works reflect the state of the Irish landscape. Van Maanen's original use of painting materials, such as dry pigments combined with West Cork rain, has created a distinct personal style. Coloures are clear and austere. His work looks particularly well in modern interiors. Gert has lived and worked in Ireland since 1993.

Update since interview: Since producing his West Cork Landscapes, Drizzzzling Landscapes and his Icescapes, Gert has been moved on to produce paintings that have been created with a very different technique. You can visit Gert's web page by following this direct link... Van Maanen Studio in Dunmanway.

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