‘Feed me sunlight’
Longing, unbothered, focussed, flourishing
Let go of the pressure
Release past weight
Leave me be
Let me breathe summer
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Let me reintroduce you to my series ‘Calm’.
This series captures the serenity that radiates from horses after a demanding career, when they can once again be themselves in the pasture and reconnect with nature. We tend to leave our old horses on dedicated retirement pastures, because as riders, we often assume that old horses have nothing left to offer us anymore. I believe it is in these moments, that they can teach us their most valuable lessons about freedom and tranquility. Their retirement from work gives them the freedom to be horse again.
This series reflects my own search for peace of mind. Must we wait until retirement to experience the peace we all yearn for? Or can we, together with our horses, break free from the monotony of daily life and pursue a liberated and serene existence? And to what extent can we already provide this for our horses before retirement? This piece explores themes of freedom, relaxation, and release.
For true retirement is not the end of the road, but the calmness in our mind.
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This series was created for Paard Verzameld exhibition ‘Storytellers’, based on old retired horses of ‘De Paardenkamp’, an equine rest home in Soest, The Netherlands. The painting also made it to ‘Dutch Equine Art Fair’ in Amsterdam.
